Forbidden Love
by Anncatz
Summary: When Serenity Wheeler crosses paths with Seto Kaiba, things are bound to happen, and in this tale, they happen more quickly than anyone could expect. Love, anger, fear, and chaos are woven together as Serenity tries to melt the ice around Seto's heart.
1. Chapter 1: The Elusive Name

**Forbidden Love**

**By: Anncatz**

"_When Serenity Wheeler crosses paths with Seto Kaiba, things are bound to happen, and in this tale, they happen more quickly than anyone could expect. Love, anger, fear, and chaos are woven together as Serenity tries to melt the ice around Seto's heart."_

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**Note to the Reader: **This fanfic is a re-imagining of my same-titled story from 2003-2004. _This version is in no way a sequel or new storyline_, but keeps the original plot mostly intact. Its purpose is to take the original story and turn it into an overall smoother, more sophisticated work. It accomplishes this through changes in dialogue, character, and detail. Some scenes have been added, deleted, or altered.

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Disclaimer: I do not, in any way, own Yu-Gi-Oh.

**Chapter 1: The Elusive Name**

A soft, cool breeze wafted through the park, ruffling the orange, red, and yellow leaves in the trees. Hearing the quiet shuffle, an auburn-haired girl raised her hazel eyes to the treetops and smiled.

"Isn't fall wonderful, Joey?" she sighed dreamily, turning to the boy who sat beside her.

The wily blonde grinned. "Yeah, it really is," he agreed, marveling at the autumn scenery around him.

"The trees are so colorful," the dreamer went on as she watched an orange leaf drift slowly to the ground. "It's absolutely beautiful. Every day, I'm thankful to be able to see the world, and I owe it all to you, Joey. You have no idea how grateful I am to be able to see again. I'll never forget what you did for me. You're the best brother a girl could have." She then laid her head on her beloved brother's shoulder.

"Gee, thanks, Serenity," Joey said humbly. "It sure is nice to share this again, isn't it? Just watchin' the seasons change before our eyes."

"It's wonderful…"

Meanwhile, there was another person passing through the park. He was tall and thin, with the most egotistical posture and gait. His brown hair played across his serious face in such a way that his vibrant, blue eyes shone—not in the manner of a twinkling star, but rather like that of ice that lay in the shining sun, mysterious and alluring, yet agonizing because of the harsh, bright glare…

It was none other than the young and cold-hearted CEO of Kaiba Corporation, Seto Kaiba. He took notice of Joey and the girl and let out a disgusted grunt. _Wheelers._ That was all that they were to him—a couple of low-class, mangy dogs, undeserving of his time or attention.

The naive girl, however, made a point to smile and wave at him.

Appalled by the friendly gesture, Kaiba narrowed his icy eyes and glared fiercely back at her. Who did she think she was, waving to him like that? He barely even knew her; he did not even remember her name. She was just another filthy Wheeler mutt. Why would she bother to wave? Did she not know better?

Still, he paused for a moment in an attempt to recall her name. What was it? He did not have the slightest idea. The thought was driven out of his mind, though, when he sensed the menacing scowl that Joey was directing at him. Kaiba grinned back with arrogance and hurried on his way.

After Kaiba departed, Serenity looked to her big brother and innocently inquired, "What's wrong with Kaiba?"

Joey laughed. "'What's wrong with Kaiba?'" he mocked. "Ya gotta be kidding, sis. He's like that all the time."

Serenity frowned. "He just seemed so unhappy," she maintained.

"Well, he probably is, but that's because he's a heartless…" Joey paused, searching for the right word to censor his language in front of his baby sister. "…guy. Listen. Don't worry about him, Serenity. He don't deserve it."

"Everyone deserves a little kindness, Joey," Serenity sweetly insisted, "and everybody deserves to be happy."

Grumbling, Joey looked away and attempted to resume the relaxation that he had enjoyed just moments before.

* * *

A couple of days passed.

Rain beat aggressively against the windows of a large, impressive mansion, while, inside, the teen billionaire tapped away at his computer. His eyes flashed from one side of the screen to the next, intently scanning the words that he rapidly typed. Work was one of his few true passions, and the hours often accumulated quicker than he realized. He was so very fixated on his company's latest project…

"Hey, Seto?" came the kid voice, breaching his concentration.

The busy tapping of the keyboard ceased. Kaiba swiveled his chair around to give attention to the boy. "Yes, Mokuba?"

Mokuba, with wide, pleading eyes, pulled out a deck of Duel Monsters cards. "I was hoping that maybe you could teach me some new strategies for Duel Monsters," he said hopefully.

"I'm busy now," Kaiba flatly refused, turning his body back to the computer. "Maybe tomorrow."

"Promise?" Mokuba asked.

"Yes," Kaiba absentmindedly answered as he began to type again.

"Great!" Mokuba exclaimed. "Actually, it's better! The weather is supposed to be really nice tomorrow! We can go to the park and-"

Kaiba interrupted his brother: "No. We don't need to go to the park for that."

"Aw, c'mon, Seto," whined the boy. "_Please_, can we go?"

Kaiba swiveled around again. Watching his brother's eager eyes dance with hope, he conceded, "Fine."

A big grin came across Mokuba's young face. "Thanks, Seto!"

* * *

The next day, the sun gleamed warmly upon the park, just as Mokuba had hoped. Even Seto could not be indifferent to it; perhaps the excursion would actually be worth his time.

He followed Mokuba as the boy searched the park for a good place to play cards. The younger Kaiba's eyes wandered excitedly, and soon, he found a spot that was to his liking. "There!" he exclaimed, pointing to a picnic table. "It's perfect, and look..."

"Hmm?" Kaiba glanced up. His eyes widened as he realized that it was occupied and surrounded by many people. All of them were familiar faces to Kaiba, but one stood out above all the rest: "Yugi," he growled.

Seeing the face of his respected adversary both irritated and intrigued him. Yugi Muto always seemed to awaken his harshly competitive nature. Unfortunately, the great King of Games was accompanied by all of his friends—Joey Wheeler and his sister, Tristan Taylor, Tea Gardner, Ryou Bakura, Duke Devlin, and Mai Valentine—and they would surely only serve as an annoyance.

His cold eyes met those of Yugi for a moment, and both of them understood what must be done. A duel between them was inevitable. Knowing this, Kaiba adopted a smug and boastful expression, while Yugi smiled broadly and greeted, "Hi, guys! Whatcha doin'?"

Such detestable cheerfulness.

"Seto and I came here to play Duel Monsters," Mokuba replied as he jogged over to the group. "Looks like you guys beat us to it," he observed.

"Yup. It's a perfect day to duel. Wanna join us?" Yugi offered.

Kaiba stepped forward. "Yugi," he began, pointing at the spiky-haired teen, "stop the small talk and allow me to prove to you that I am more worthy of the title 'King of Games!'"

"But Seto," Mokuba whined, "you said you'd help me."

"And I will," Kaiba snapped, "as soon as I defeat Yugi."

"Hey, have a little patience, Kaiba," Yugi advised. "I think we should all have a chance to play. There are plenty of people here; why don't we make a little tournament out of it?"

"Hmph. Why should I waste my time watching a bunch of amateurs struggling to remember the rules?" Kaiba retorted. Nodding in Joey Wheeler's direction, he added, "Besides, I don't play with dogs that can't defend themselves."

Mokuba begged, "Come on, Seto, this will be a great way for me to learn a lot of new things."

Sighing, Kaiba reasoned, "Look, there are ten people here. That's an imperfect number for tournament play; however, if a couple of people just sit this one out, we'll have a nice, round number to work with." Then, with a smirk, he turned to Joey again. "So, Wheeler, if you're afraid that you may have to duel me, it's perfectly okay for you to run and hide. I'll just have to humiliate someone else in your place."

"I ain't afraid!" Joey proclaimed, his face becoming red with fury.

"Wait a minute, Seto," said Mokuba. "There's gotta be a way we can do this without making somebody just sit and watch." Mokuba thought for a moment. "How about this? We'll keep track of all the scores, and the two people whose match is the closest during that round will both advance. Does that sound good?"

"I think that's a great idea, Mokuba," Yugi complemented. "It ought to be fun too. What do you say, Kaiba?"

To Kaiba, the idea felt like nothing but an inconvenience, but if it were to result in a duel with Yugi... "Fine," he agreed with a sly grin, "I'm in."

"Wait, Seto, you've got to help me first!" Mokuba reminded his brother.

The two Kaibas put some distance between themselves and the others while Seto provided Mokuba with some new cards and the helpful tactics to go with them. When this process was finished, names were drawn to decide who would play whom.

The first duel was between Kaiba and Mai, and he spent the entire time mocking her. Despite her experience with the game, her skill was not great enough to defeat the powerful dragon master.

Ryou and Duke dueled next. Feisty Devlin proudly announced that he would win the match for Joey's lovely sister, but his efforts were ultimately fruitless.

Tristan, who also would have loved to win a duel in the pretty maiden's honor, ended up having to play against her instead. Distressed and flustered, he was defeated.

Mokuba did his best to execute the strategies that his brother taught him, but, being unfamiliar with the new deck, he disappointed Seto by losing to Tea.

The round ended with quite a heated battled between Yugi and Joey, the two best friends. Yugi emerged as the victor, but it was so close that, due to the tournament's rules, they both moved on.

In the second round, Kaiba's opponent was the Wheeler girl. Upon hearing the announcement that she was his next victim, he glanced over at her. Until then, he had given her little thought. He had, in fact, completely ignored her game against Tristan. The sudden awareness of her presence brought the memory back to him.

Did he not see her in this very park a few days ago? Yes, she was sitting on a bench with her dog of a brother, watching the leaves drift down from the branches. What was her name? ...Surely it did not matter.

He sat across from her at the picnic table, not bothering to speak to her, and began to shuffle his cards.

"Good luck, Kaiba," she told him politely. "I know that I'll probably lose, but I'll try my best."

Without replying, Kaiba placed his deck on the table, expecting her to cut it. She grabbed his cards hastily, brushing her hand against his as she did so.

Kaiba looked up at her questioningly. What was her name? It still eluded him.

She returned his deck to him, then allowed him to cut hers. Afterward, both players drew their cards, and the girl began the match by playing a very weak monster in attack mode.

Kaiba looked to her, skeptically raising an eyebrow.

She merely smiled back at him, clearly unaware of her unintelligible decision.

"Well, Kaiba?" Joey asserted. "Aren't ya gonna say somethin' already? I mean, you made fun of Mai, so why don't you go ahead and make fun of my sister too?"

Kaiba glared at Joey, but did not say a word. Naturally, the girl was a weak opponent. She was a Wheeler; it was expected of her. But her elusive, mysterious name perturbed him. Dwelling upon it, he remained quietly distracted as he continued the duel.

The silence was uncomfortable to Joey, who was accustomed to Kaiba's typical insults and arrogant laughs. He leaned close to Yugi and whispered, "What's up with Kaiba? He made fun of _Mai—_and she's an experienced duelist—but he's not sayin' anything to Serenity. I don't get it."

Yugi shrugged and whispered, "Me neither."

As the duel progressed, the girl actually managed to put a small dent in Kaiba's Life Points, though that was a greater accomplishment than anyone expected her to achieve. Still, Kaiba won with ease, and when the game was over, he stood and approached her. "You did better than I thought you would," he acknowledged.

The girl stood and smiled up at him, taking his words as a compliment. "Thank you, Kaiba. It was an honor to duel against you. "

His serious expression met the bright, lively one for just a moment, and without thinking, he smiled for the shortest fraction of a second. Abruptly serious again, he reached out his hand.

The girl's smile grew broader as she took his hand and shook it.

He could not wait any longer. The question must be answered. "What's your name again?" he asked.

"Serenity."

"Right." When Kaiba turned to the others, he noticed that they were staring at him. He grunted, then asked, "What are you staring at?"

"Oh, nothing," Yugi dismissed. "I suppose we should get on to the next duel."

While watching the last two duels of the second round, Kaiba was not himself. Yugi dueled Tea... Joey dueled Ryou... but it did not matter. He had an odd feeling in the pit of his stomach. He knew her name now: Serenity.

Why, then, was he so unsettled?

Joey's voice suddenly rang through his ears: "Hey! Pay attention, moneybags! It's time to duel!"

Apparently, the next round had begun.

The duel against Joey quickly allowed the young businessman to regain his poise. His usual sarcasm and belittling mannerisms came back to him as he slowly but surely crushed his unworthy rival.

Then, at long last, Yugi secured his spot in the final match by defeating Ryou. It was just as predicted: only Kaiba and Yugi remained.

By this time, the sun was beginning to set, and the sky glowed a charming shade of orange that complemented the warm colors of the autumn leaves. Kaiba eyed his nemesis carefully. Countless times he had tried to overcome little Yugi, only to fail. With the evening sun beating down upon him, he felt that this was his moment. "Are you ready, Yugi?" he questioned with a smirk.

"I sure am, Kaiba!" Yugi exclaimed lightheartedly.

The duel was characteristically grueling and difficult for both duelists, yet Kaiba noticed that Yugi's style was not as firm and determined as usual. It had a casual feeling to it, as if the boy were just dueling for fun—an unfamiliar concept to the aggressive CEO.

In the end, Kaiba finally conquered his greatest adversary. The sensation of it should have been one of triumph, but Kaiba could not help but feel a tinge of disappointment.

"That was a great duel, Kaiba," Yugi acknowledged.

"Were you even trying?" Kaiba bitterly wondered.

Yugi shrugged with indifference. "Yeah, but I just wanted to enjoy it. Things may have been different if I would've let my other half take over."

Kaiba growled spitefully, "You know that I don't believe in that rubbish."

"Think what you want, Kaiba, but the Millennium Puzzle doesn't lie."

Kaiba grunted in reply.

Then, Serenity stepped forward and approached him. She looked into the businessman's serious eyes and said courteously, "Congratulations on winning the tournament, Kaiba."

"Thank you," he stoically responded.

"You're welcome," Serenity happily said.

Kaiba looked to his brother. "If you'll excuse us, Mokuba and I will be going now. Goodbye…" Remembering the name, he added, "…Serenity."

The girl beamed back at him and waved, "Goodbye, Kaiba."

With that, the two Kaiba brothers started to walk away. Meanwhile, the other friends talked amongst themselves.

"It's getting dark," Ryou observed. "We should go."

"Yeah," Tristan agreed. "It's time to turn in for the evening."

"Hey, guys," Tea piped in eagerly, "before we go, we should stop and get some ice cream."

"Oh, I'd love that!" Serenity exclaimed.

"Yeah, sounds good to me," Joey grinned. "Let's go."

They, too, started to leave, but Serenity paused to look at Kaiba and Mokuba in the distance. "What about those two?" she asked.

"Let 'em go," Joey suggested. "They wouldn't have fun anyway."

"But we should at least invite them," Serenity insisted. Intent on this idea, she ran after the two brothers, calling to them, "Hey! Kaiba! Mokuba!"

Kaiba turned around slowly. It was her. Serenity.

"We're going to stop for ice cream on our way home," she explained sweetly. "Would you like to come with us?"

"That would be great!" Mokuba excitedly accepted.

"No," Kaiba firmly asserted. "Mokuba and I don't have time for things like that."

"But Seto!" Mokuba pleaded stubbornly.

Serenity urged hopefully, "Yes, please come with us, Kaiba."

Kaiba looked to his brother, then to Serenity. For a moment, he stared into her hazel eyes, which shone with the same hope that he had so often seen in his own brother's face. He sighed, and then reluctantly agreed to go with them.


	2. Chapter 2: Bitter and Sweet

Disclaimer: I do not, in any way, own Yu-Gi-Oh.

**Chapter 2: Bitter and Sweet**

The scent of creamy, sugary dessert hit the businessman's nose immediately as he set foot inside the parlor. In reality, the smell was faint, but, to Seto Kaiba, who was not one to electively partake of sweets, the mixture of vanilla, chocolate, mint, and other various scents was pungent. The others around him were enticed, but he shook his head and let out an irritated sigh.

The parlor itself was small and decorated in shades of pink and white. Even on the rare occasion that Kaiba wanted something sweet, he would never choose the simplistic and rather childish-looking parlor. He sighed again.

Mokuba Kaiba then grabbed his big brother's hand and tugged him forward. The boy excitedly gazed into the case that held so many flavors and his mouth began to water as he carefully considered his options. "What's your favorite, Seto?" he wondered.

Kaiba remarked apathetically, "I don't have a favorite."

Mokuba thought for a few moments before making his choice. At last he decided, "I want chocolate chip."

"That's what I'll have too," Kaiba imitated.

Turning around with ice cream in hand, Kaiba warily surveyed the room. Joey Wheeler and his girlfriend, Mai Valentine, were seated at a table for two, making puppy dog eyes at one another. Yugi Muto, Tea Gardner, and Ryou Bakura sat together in a booth, chatting and laughing merrily. Duke Devlin and Tristan Taylor sat with Serenity Wheeler, and they noticeably flirted with the girl.

They all seemed so comfortable and content; it was as sickeningly sweet as everything else in the parlor. Rolling his eyes, Kaiba murmured, "Come on, Mokuba, we're going to sit over there." He gestured to an empty table at the other end of the parlor.

"Over there?" Mokuba wondered, as if he had misheard his brother.

"Yes," Kaiba confirmed. "Let's go."

"Okay, big brother," Mokuba gloomily conceded.

With that, the Kaiba brothers took their seats at the lonely table. Mokuba licked his ice cream cone in a somewhat distracted manner, constantly glancing over at all of the others. Seto, meanwhile, did not speak. The moment was so quiet that it felt awkward amidst the open atmosphere of the parlor.

"Hey, Seto," Mokuba spoke, breaking the silence. "Why did you want to sit _here_?"

Kaiba looked up with sly eyes. "You say that as if we had another choice," he scoffed.

The kid looked around the room, taking notice of several unoccupied tables. "We _did_ have other choices, Seto."

"You're not thinking, Mokuba," Kaiba brusquely accused. "Can't you see that we're not wanted over there?"

Mokuba tilted his head in confusion. "Why do you say that?"

"It's obvious," Kaiba stated, throwing a quick, ruthless glare in the others' direction. "Pay close attention to how they're seated. They're grouped together in their own little cliques. Where does that leave us, Mokuba? We have to fend four ourselves. You should know that by now. It's always been that way."

The boy frowned. "But Serenity invited us," he recalled.

The image of Serenity's eyes was still burned into Kaiba's mind. Was it not those shimmering hazel eyes—so full of sparkling hope—that convinced him to come here? Sighing, he shook his head in an attempt to dismiss the memory. "She was just trying to be polite," he bitterly concluded.

The sour demeanor aggravated young Mokuba. "You're the one who's not thinking," he stated bluntly. "So what if they're sitting in little groups? That doesn't mean that they don't want us around. Don't you think of them as friends, Seto?"

_"Friends?_ You must be kidding," Kaiba laughed. "I don't need friends. I'm fine by myself. I don't even want any."

"That's very sad," commented a quiet, feminine voice.

Kaiba turned, finding Serenity standing beside him. "What are you doing?" he snapped. "It's rude to eavesdrop on other people's conversations."

"I'm sorry," Serenity said, bowing. "I just thought that it was strange that you two were sitting over here all by yourselves."

"Spare me your concern," Kaiba told her curtly.

"I'm terribly sorry," she apologized again, "but, if you don't mind my saying, the fact that you don't have friends, or even want to have any, is very sad. Everyone needs a friend or two."

"Well, no one asked for your opinion," Kaiba sharply retorted.

Serenity stared into his cold eyes—empty now, like big, blue voids. "Don't you ever get lonely, Kaiba?"

The billionaire's face was blankly serious. As he began to speak, he found himself unable to look at her. "I..." His voice trailed off.

The girl smiled at him sweetly. "You can sit with me, Tristan, and Duke," she offered.

"No," Kaiba refused. "I'm fine here." Then he pointed out rationally, "The booths are too small anyway. Mokuba and I can't both sit with you."

"I can sit with Yugi, Tea, and Bakura," Mokuba offered.

"No," Kaiba firmly disallowed. Then he looked to Serenity and informed her, "Mokuba must sit with me."

"Well, Mokuba's kind of small," Serenity pointed out with a clever grin. "I'll bet we could all squeeze into one booth. We'll be a bit squished, but I won't mind."

"Okay!" Mokuba exclaimed as he stood up and hurried over to the table.

Kaiba was disgusted by his brother's sudden rush away, but it seemed that there was nothing he could do. If Mokuba wanted to sit with those mediocre duelists—if they could even be called that—then he had no choice but to join them.

He reluctantly followed Serenity to the table and sat next to her, though he remained silent while the other four chatted. At first, he merely stared out the window, watching as people busily walked along the sidewalk. He was intrigued, however, when a new scent playfully graced his nostrils.

It was primarily a floral scent, but with soft, vanilla undertones. It differed from the scent of the parlor in that it did not carry with it the traces of excess sugar; rather, it seemed natural and charming.

Suddenly he realized that the essence was emanating from the girl next to him. He curiously turned toward her and allowed the fragrance to fill his nose again. He then inspected Serenity carefully, moving his eyes up and down her figure in deep contemplation. Resting his gaze upon her young face, he decided that, combined with her casual style and innocent mannerisms, the flowery, vanilla perfume was well-suited to her.

When she felt Kaiba's intense stare upon her, Serenity turned to him. Their eyes met, yet the billionaire's face remained very serious. The expression seemed so characteristic of him that she could not resist giggling. "What are you thinking about, Kaiba?"

"Nothing," he answered blankly.

Serenity laughed. "Surely you're thinking about something. You let your ice cream melt!"

Kaiba glanced down at the liquefied desert. "I prefer it that way," he muttered, slipping a spoonful into his mouth.

She giggled again, and then returned to her conversation with Mokuba, Duke, and Tristan. Kaiba, meanwhile, turned back toward the window and resumed silently watching the people and cars pass by.

* * *

When the Kaiba brothers returned home that evening, the great mansion was still and quiet, as it usually was. For this reason, the young CEO occasionally preferred to do his work at home, rather than at his office at Kaiba Corporation. The mansion was peaceful, lacking the busy shuffles of uptight employees who incessantly asked questions and demanded his attention.

Seto sat down at the computer with a cup of freshly-brewed coffee in his hand. He took it completely black this evening, so as to wash away the sweet tastes remaining from the parlor. He brought the mug up to his lips and slowly sipped the coffee. It was warm and bitter as it slid down his throat—the complete opposite of the ice cream he had just eaten.

He set the mug down and opened up a myriad files and programs on the computer. For some reason, though, he simply stared back at the screen.

"_Don't you ever get lonely, Kaiba?"_ Serenity's voice rang in his ears.

Kaiba reached for the mug again and took another sip. Afterward, he pursed his lips together and continued to stare passively at the screen.

The thoughts began to swirl rapidly in his head then. Something about that girl bothered him. Was it the name? The shining, hazel eyes? The floral-vanilla perfume? Or perhaps it was the concern that she showed for him… These thoughts consumed him such that he did not even hear his little brother's gentle knock on the door.

"Why would she care?" Kaiba asked himself, not realizing that he was speaking aloud.

Meanwhile, outside the door, Mokuba's ears perked up and he began to listen intently.

"What reasons could she possibly have? She shouldn't have been eavesdropping anyway. That stupid Wheeler girl thinks that she can just walk up and give me that 'everyone needs a friend' shit..."

He paused for a moment, staring at the ceiling. "Why am I even thinking about this?" he wondered. "I shouldn't care. I don't need anyone."

The door creaked open and a meddlesome voice interrupted Seto's thoughts: "Do you like her?"

Kaiba looked toward the door and narrowed his eyes as Mokuba peeked around the corner.

"Serenity," the kid explained. "I saw the way you looked at her at the ice cream parlor."

Ignoring the subject, the older brother angrily commanded, "Leave me alone."

"Will you answer my question first?" Mokuba requested.

"No," Kaiba replied shortly.

"Aww, come on, Seto," the boy begged.

Seto watched his little brother's gray eyes—lit with eagerness—and decided that he would not succumb to their trickery again. Giving the answer that the boy did not want to hear, Seto said simply and dryly, "I don't like her."

Mokuba frowned and inquired sadly, "Not even as a friend?"

"I don't need friends," the sour teen grunted in disgust.

"But Seto," Mokuba whined. "She's really nice."

The businessman's frosty eyes became like daggers as he gave Mokuba a malicious look, plainly conveying his desire for the little brother to exit the room.

The kid left Seto with one final thought: "Just consider it, okay?" Then he quietly left the room.

After making sure that he was completely alone, Kaiba picked up his mug and sipped at the coffee again. "That's right," he assured himself with a tone as bitter as his drink. "I don't like her."

Kaiba restlessly swiveled the chair around once, adding, "I shouldn't."

Then, he peered into his coffee mug, staring down at the black liquid. "I can't."

Suddenly, in a burst of angry determination, he slammed the mug down on the desk, declaring, "I won't." The impact caused the coffee to leap from the mug and spill all over the desk. Seeing this, Kaiba grumbled to himself and left the room to fetch paper towels. After he cleaned up the mess, he shut down his computer.

Clearly, the work was not going to get done tonight.


	3. Chapter 3: Someone Clever

Disclaimer: I do not, in any way, own Yu-Gi-Oh.

**Chapter 3: Someone Clever**

The next day, it seemed so obvious.

That girl... There was something about her that was special; something that affected Seto Kaiba in a profound way. He behaved differently around her.

During the Duel Monsters tournament at the park, he did not ridicule her poor strategies. Nor did he insult her relation to that dog, Joey Wheeler. He even gave the girl a split-second smile—something rare, inexplicable, and contrary to Seto's normal persona.

And what of the way that he stared at her at the ice cream parlor? That was a novel act as well, for he rarely gave others even a passing glance.

Moreover, Seto continued to dwell on her that evening, keeping the girl in his thoughts long after departing from her.

That was simply _something_ about that girl...

...and Mokuba knew it.

The kid snickered to himself as he considered these things.

Seto, returning home from a long day at Kaiba Corporation, noticed his little brother's crafty grin immediately as he walked in the door.

"Hello, Mokuba," the businessman greeted with suspicion in his voice. Raising a distrustful eyebrow, he added, "You seem awfully cheery today."

"I am," the boy smiled.

Kaiba eyed his little brother warily, expecting more details, but the kid merely grinned back at him. Dismissing Mokuba's awkward mannerisms, Kaiba said indifferently, "Well, that's nice," and set his briefcase on the floor.

Mokuba then pointed to a stack of envelopes on a nearby table. "I got the mail for you, big brother," he proudly announced.

Kaiba seated himself at the table. "Thanks," he muttered, picking up the envelopes. He thumbed through them quickly, but stopped when he came to an envelope that was completely blank. "What's this?" he wondered. He opened the envelope and silently read the letter inside it:

'_Seto Kaiba,_

_You are powerful in the business world, your intellect is unmatched, and your dueling skills are world-renowned. I like a man like that. I am fond of you, and I want to stand beside you as you continue to climb to the top. Please meet me at 5:00 tomorrow evening, under the sakura tree in the park._

-_Y__our Secret Admirer'_

Seeing the words, his lips curled into an egotistical smirk.

"What are you reading, Seto?" Mokuba asked curiously, peeking over his brother's shoulder.

"Here, see for yourself," Kaiba answered as he handed the letter to his brother.

Mokuba read through it, then excitedly commented, "Wow! You have secret admirer! That's so cool!"

The older brother chuckled arrogantly, saying, "You act as if it's is a new concept. I get swamped with love letters every day at school, Mokuba. I have to compliment this one, though..." He snatched the letter and read it again.

"She's clever," he acknowledged. "She knew what I wanted to hear, and she kept the note short and simple—none of that 'I'm madly in love with you' nonsense. She thoroughly considered her words. She knew exactly what she needed to write in order to convince me to meet her."

Mokuba guessed hopefully, "So you're going then?"

Kaiba remained ever serious. "Well, it's certainly a compelling letter," he reasoned, "unlike any one I've ever gotten before. I'm so used to lovey-dovey, high school garbage that I'm not sure how to handle this one. Despite her ruse, she could just be another obsessive fan, and I really would prefer not to waste my time. It's probably best to throw the letter away and forget about it."

"But if the letter is so different, it's worth looking into," Mokuba argued. "Aren't you curious to see who she is?"

"I suppose so," Kaiba muttered, more to himself than to Mokuba.

"That's great!" Mokuba exclaimed.

Kaiba rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Keep your excitement to yourself, Mokuba," he snapped, "and leave me alone. I've got a lot of other mail to go through."

"Okay," the kid consented, leaving his brother in quiet solitude.

Seto picked up the love note one last time. Running his fingers lightly across the concise words, he let out a sigh. There was something about that letter...

* * *

The next evening, just before 5:00, Seto stood under the sakura tree, his stance rigid and his arms folded. Looking around the park with narrowed, ruthless eyes, he was prepared for the worst. The mysterious admirer could very well be nothing more than an obnoxious, love struck teen. He eyed every girl who passed by like a hawk, warning her to stay away, lest she face his merciless claws.

Another girl appeared in the distance. Kaiba turned his attention to her and watched as she drew nearer. She was a dainty, little thing, with long, auburn hair and eyes that were wide with innocence.

"Serenity?" Kaiba murmured the name in disbelief.

He scanned her body again just to ascertain her identity. Yes, it was her, but how could a girl like that conjure such a letter? Perhaps she was not headed his way. She seemed to visit the park frequently, so she could just be on casual stroll...

Yet she kept walking straight toward him. At last she noticed him, waving happily and smiling brightly. She joined him under the tree and greeted, "Hello, Kaiba."

"Hello," he guardedly replied.

"What brings you here this evening?" Serenity curiously wondered.

Kaiba replied dryly, "I'm meeting someone."

Serenity's cheeks warmed into a rosy blush. "Oh," she shyly remarked, "I am too."

The businessman locked his cold eyes on her. Had Serenity just confessed to writing the love letter?

Kaiba could no longer restrain his desire for certainty. "Serenity," he addressed the girl sternly, "is this your work?" He reached into his pocket, pulled out the note, and handed it to her.

As the girl looked over the hollow words, her face crinkled up in disgust. "I would _never_ write something like that," she claimed.

"I didn't think so," Kaiba muttered under his breath.

Serenity cocked her head in confusion. "Something strange is going on here," she deduced. Pulling out a letter of her own, she questioned, "Did you write this?"

Kaiba unfolded the paper and read its message:

'_My Dearest Serenity,_

_You are the most wonderful girl that I have ever met, with beauty and grace like that of an angel. I want nothing more than to spend the rest of my days with you. Meet me in the park tomorrow at 5:00 P.M._

_Love,_

_Your Secret Admirer'_

Kaiba found himself similarly repulsed by the mushy words: "I would never write something like _that."_

Baffled, Serenity asked, "Then who wrote these letters? And why?"

"It's clearly a setup," Kaiba concluded. "The writer catered to our personal tastes in an attempt to increase the likelihood of our showing up for this meeting. Someone is clever."

Serenity took both of the notes and studied them closely. "You're right," she gasped. "Even the handwriting is identical, but who—"

"Let me think for a minute," Kaiba harshly interrupted. Pursing his lips in contemplation, he took a moment to analyze the situation at hand. The answer came to him with stunning clarity:

"I should've known," he furiously growled.

"Known what?"

Kaiba spoke through gritted teeth, "It was my brother."

"Mokuba?" Serenity inquired, finding it rather hard to believe that Kaiba's little brother was responsible for the false love notes. "Are you sure?"

Kaiba vividly recalled the boy's behavior. Mokuba had been annoyingly forward with his questions and comments regarding Serenity, and he had grinned ever so devilishly. "Yes, I have no doubt about it," he firmly asserted.

Serenity giggled, "What a cute idea!"

Kaiba raised an eyebrow and repeated, "Cute?"

"Yeah," Serenity laughed. "What do you think we should do about it?"

"What do you mean? I'm going to Kaiba Corp.," the CEO told her matter-of-factly. He then made a motion to leave.

"But you can't go!" Serenity protested, tightly clenching Kaiba's arm.

"Don't touch me!" Kaiba snarled, giving her an extremely cold glare.

Those eyes were unlike any others she had ever seen. They were like the sharpest glass, painfully slicing her skin, and they were like the coldest ice that burns and numbs—freezes and kills. They seemed to pierce her very soul. Serenity quickly and unquestioningly obeyed the teen's command and let go of his arm. She then turned her head away, no longer able to look at him.

All was quiet for a long while, but Kaiba broke the silence. "I'm sorry if I scared you," he apologized flatly.

"Oh... um... It's okay," Serenity said, unsure of how she should respond.

Another silence.

"Look at me," he said, his oddly voice soft.

Although she was afraid to meet the intimidating eyes again, she fought her fear and looked at him. His face was serious, as it so often was, yet the eyes were different. They were now more like dull sapphires, empty and lacking. She could not understand how a pair of eyes could change so quickly, and she was so unsettled that she did not know what to say.

"I'm sorry," Kaiba repeated.

"It's okay, really," she said uncomfortably. "I shouldn't have-"

Kaiba interrupted her. "Why did you try to stop me?"

"I don't want to disappoint little Mokuba," Serenity admitted. "He went through all the trouble to put this together; he'd be so heartbroken if his plan didn't work out. I thought that we could go on a date."

"Hmm" was all the Kaiba could muster.

She began to blush terribly, then added, "It wouldn't have to be anything special. We'd just be doing it to please Mokuba."

"I see," Kaiba mumbled, knowing that Serenity was right. Mokuba would surely be embarrassed and crestfallen if his master plan failed, but was it Seto's duty to prevent that from happening? After all, Mokuba's plot was deceitful, and he possibly deserved some sort of punishment. And yet... the kid was his brother, always good to him and proud of him. From a young age, Seto had sworn to take care of the kid, and even now—even when it meant spending time with a Wheeler—the older brother had to uphold his promise.

"So, is it a date?" Serenity asked him.

"It is."


	4. Chapter 4: Beauty

Disclaimer: I do not, in any way, own Yu-Gi-Oh.

**Chapter 4: Beauty**

Serenity Wheeler was oblivious to the nosy gazes that she received as she walked beside the rich CEO, Seto Kaiba. Unbeknownst to her, curious passersby could not help but turn their heads as the teens headed down a strip of restaurants in the city. The girl merely hummed to herself as she wondered at all of the city sights.

"Are you hungry?" Kaiba asked.

"Oh, yes," Serenity smiled.

"Well," Kaiba said, raising his hand in a wide gesture to the entire strip, "do you see anything that interests you?"

"Hmm." The girl's innocent eyes glanced over many enticing titles. "Let's eat there," she suggested as she pointed to a simple sandwich shop.

Seto Kaiba, who had no intention of going to such a lowly eatery, skeptically raised an eyebrow.

Taking the hint, the girl changed her mind. "Okay, maybe not." She continued her search and suggested a few more restaurants, only to receive similar responses from the young CEO.

Suddenly, Kaiba stopped before one of the buildings. "We're going to eat here," he declared, leaving little opportunity for discussion.

Serenity turned around to look at the restaurant and her eyes promptly widened. The building stood taller than the others around it, with a French title illuminated in large, classy, white letters. _"Here?"_ she marveled.

"La Petite Pêche," Kaiba clarified.

A blush came to her cheeks as the girl admitted, "I don't think I can afford to eat here."

"Did we not agree to call this a 'date?'" Kaiba reminded her. "I'll take care of the bill."

"But we don't even have a reservation," Serenity further worried.

"You have no idea who you're with, do you?" Kaiba arrogantly chuckled. Then, stepping forward to open the door for her, he ordered, "Go in."

She meekly nodded and entered the restaurant. Inside, it was a wondrous sight to behold. Glimmering lights from crystal chandeliers cast a soft glow over the whole room. The beauty of antique paintings was reflected in an abundance of large, extravagant mirrors. The tables were well-appointed with beautifully detailed, gold-plated flatware, fine bone china with hand-painted, gold designs around the rims, and crystal goblets that sparkled like diamonds from the light of the chandeliers.

Her mouth dropped in an awestruck gape. She grabbed Seto's coat and tugged on its sleeve, whispering, "I've never been to a place like this before."

Kaiba looked back at her a clever smirk.

Just then, they were approached by a well-dressed gentleman. "Ah, Mr. Kaiba," he greeted with a bow. "Here to discuss business matters over dinner again, I presume?"

"Not this time," the CEO answered. He then motioned to Serenity and insisted, "She and I will take the table up by the terrace."

With a sly twinkle in his eye, the man responded, "I see. Anything for you, Mr. Kaiba. Allow me to show you to your table."

They followed him up a spiral staircase to the second floor, which was decorated in a similar fashion, yet enhanced by a pair of French doors that led onto an elegant terrace. The breeze from the open doors was perfumed with the scent of rare flowers that grew in urns set outside.

The man seated them at an empty table located just in front of the open doors. Immediately, Serenity leaned forward and whispered, "How did you do that? You walked up, and—just like that—you got us in, without any reservation. You even picked the table."

"Think of who you're sitting with," the billionaire quipped. "This is essentially _my_ table. I frequently come to this restaurant to meet with employees and partners. Everyone at La Petite Pêche recognizes that I bring in a lot of business, so they always keep the table open for me."

"So, you really like this particular spot then?" Serenity deduced.

With a grin, Kaiba replied, "Look out through those doors. What do you see?"

She gazed through the open doors, out to the purple-orange evening sky that was lined with buildings. "The city," she noted.

"Be more specific," Kaiba ordered.

"There's a big building in the middle—"

The businessman proudly interrupted, "It's Kaiba Corporation. Right there, in the center of our view. Perfect, isn't it?"

Serenity beamed back at him, "Yeah, that's really neat, Kaiba! No wonder you like to sit here!"

A waiter then brought menus to them. Serenity picked hers up excitedly, only to realize that it was written almost entirely in French. Looking up at her date with pleading eyes, she said, "I... um... I don't know what to order."

Kaiba leaned over and began to generously talk her through the menu, listing his personal favorites and describing the restaurant's most celebrated specialties.

Serenity questioned in amazement, "You can read French?"

"The study of foreign languages creates an invaluable advantage in the business world," he stated matter-of-factly.

"Then what does the restaurant's name mean?" she further inquired.

"La Petite Pêche," Kaiba pronounced the name again. "It means 'The Little Peach.'"

"Oh, how adorable," Serenity happily chimed.

"Too adorable for my tastes," Kaiba mumbled scathingly, "but the atmosphere, view, and food are worth it." He then resumed his explanation of the menu and at last helped the girl to arrive at a decision.

After the waiter took their orders, the two teens commenced their wait for the food to arrive. Serenity looked about the room and curiously evaluated the people around her. All of the men and women were dressed in attire so formal and elegant that she grew suddenly conscious of her own appearance, feeling uneasy and out of place. Much more aware of her surroundings than before, she shivered as she sensed the stares that others locked intently upon her. Several guests took so much interest in her that they began to whisper amongst themselves.

"Kaiba, they're watching us," she stated uncomfortably.

"Just ignore them," Kaiba remarked as he looked up and met the watchful eyes of the crowd with a defensive scowl.

"Okay... um..." She paused, searching for a topic that would be of interest to the CEO. "Tell me about Kaiba Corp."

Kaiba looked back at her with a blank expression. "What about it?"

"Well, what are you up to lately?" she elaborated. "What kinds of plans and projects do you have?"

The teen folded his hands and spoke in a businesslike manner, "I can't disclose any specific information to anyone outside of the company."

Disappointment came to the girl's face. Seeing her saddened expression, Kaiba let down his guard. "I can give you some very generic details," he offered. "As always, I am working on technology meant to enhance the experience of playing Duel Monsters. That doesn't come as a surprise to anyone, but I have many ideas that will improve the game."

Serenity smiled sweetly, happy to hear Seto talk with some enthusiasm.

Kaiba spoke again, "I'm also working on another big project—"—the girl opened her mouth to inquire about it— "—No, I can't divulge anything about that. Kaiba Corp. is keeping it a secret at this time. I will simply tell you that the project will keep me very busy. I've got a lot planning to do, calls to make, people to see..."

"Sounds like it's a lot of work," she discerned.

"It is," he answered simply.

A while later, the waiter arrived with their food. Serenity found herself greatly impressed by it, and she spent the rest of the time chatting about the flawless presentation and taste.

Kaiba remained quiet as he ate and half-listened to the eager chatter.

By the time the teens finished their meal, the sky had grown dark. Serenity turned her attention back to the city view and asked hopefully, "Am I allowed to go out onto the terrace?"

"Go ahead," Kaiba permitted.

Grinning happily, she stood up and turned toward the terrace. Then, looking back at Kaiba, she wondered, "You're coming too, aren't you?"

Kaiba nodded and followed her through the large, French doors. The marble-paved terrace had a broad and sweeping view of the city. The boy leaned casually over the rail and stared out at Kaiba Corporation. Now, under the blackened sky, the lighted building stood out with a gorgeous, yellow glow.

Serenity stood close to him as he admired his beloved business. Her own eyes scanned the entire city in wonder and she let out a dreamy sigh, "The city is so pretty. From up here, the lights look like stars."

Tilting her head back to stare into the dark sky, she continued, "Of course, the lights are so bright that they hide the real stars. It's a shame, really, because it's actually a very clear night—great for stargazing."

She then studied Kaiba's serious face. He seemed devoid of emotion as his cold eyes looked silently into the night. "Hey," she spoke softly.

He turned his attention to her.

"It was very nice of you to take me here," she thanked him kindly. "I've never experienced anything like it. Thanks so much..." She paused, shyly meeting his blue eyes, "...Seto."

His face twisted into a disturbed expression because he had not been prepared to hear his first name. "You're welcome," he replied dully.

"Do you mind if I call you that?" the girl wondered.

Avoiding a concrete response, he said, "It's getting late. We should both go home."

Serenity blushed a bit as she protested, "No, not yet."

Kaiba asked cynically, "What are you trying to suggest?"

Serenity placed a hand lightly on top of his. "Let's go see the stars," she whispered. "I know a great place for stargazing, if you don't mind walking. By the time we get there, it will be even darker, and I'm certain that the stars will be visible."

"Where exactly is this place?" Kaiba suspiciously questioned.

"It's a little lake, away from all of the city light and sound. Please come with me. It's a perfect night."

Looking over his shoulder, Kaiba took note of the intrusive stares of the crowd, with their eyes fixed on Serenity's hand as it rested upon his. "Either way, we need to get out of here now; those people are getting harder to ignore," he muttered. Then he, too, glanced down at her dainty hand and consented, "Lead the way."

* * *

He followed her far away from the city. The girl practically dragged him along, excitedly clutching his arm the entire time and walking at a quick pace. Eventually, though, she stopped and proudly puffed, "Here we are!"

The area was still and tranquil, surrounded by soft, fresh grass—a great contrast the concrete sidewalks and incessant noise of the city. It was dark there, but a small lake lay in the silver moonlight, mysteriously inviting them to stay. Kaiba surveyed the sky. Just as Serenity had predicted, the stars were twinkling clearly above him.

The girl seated herself at the edge of the lake, and Kaiba joined her. There was a profound silence between them as they both stared into the starry, night sky. While he was unenthused with the seemingly pointless act, Serenity piously admired the blessed sight above her.

She broke the silence with a wistful comment: "Isn't it beautiful, Seto?"

The use of his first name caused him to cringe again as he replied, "I've never thought of it that way."

Serenity turned to him in disbelief. "Then what did you think?"

"Nothing," he said indifferently. "They're just stars."

"'Just stars?'" Serenity repeated. She lifted her eyes to the sky again and declared with passion, "No, they're more than that. They're a part of what makes this world so great. The world is full of beauty; you just have to know how to look at it."

Kaiba's empty eyes narrowed as he continued to examine the sky.

"Remember when you described the view from the terrace as 'perfect?'" Serenity asked.

"I do," Kaiba replied shortly.

"I know that you said that just because of Kaiba Corporation, but you can learn to see the whole world that way," she explained.

"Hmm."

"I was nearly blind before," Serenity went on, "but after I had the surgery to correct it, I came to appreciate my sight so much more. There are so many things in this world that are just stunning. For example... Have you ever watched the sun rise?"

The boy answered simply, "No."

"Aww... It's absolutely magical. It's like watching an artist create a masterpiece. The sun paints the sky, blending together the prettiest colors, slowly bringing light to the new day... A sunset is the same way—a different process, but equally masterful."

After she said her piece, the scent of floral-vanilla perfume suddenly wafted up to Kaiba's nose—the same scent that she had possessed the other day. Now, with the way that the perfume mixed with the smells of the lake and grass, it seemed even more fitting for her.

"Have you ever taken the time to look at the sky on a warm, summer afternoon?" she wondered.

Kaiba shook his head.

"On a day like that, the sky is such a heavenly blue, speckled with fluffy, white clouds... Clouds are marvelous things. If you just sit and watch them, they carry you to a faraway place, where your imagination can run free."

He rested his eyes on her young face. Her eyes burned like a flame, and he felt her passion for life emanating from them, reaching out to him, warming him, and begging him to understand.

"What is this?" he confusedly mumbled, more to himself than to her. "This feeling..."

"Beauty," Serenity softly stated. "It's not just something to be seen; you can _feel_ it..." She reached her hand out and placed it on his chest, where his heart was racing. "...right here."

Beauty. He saw it, to be sure, though he was not experiencing the same form of it that she was. Amidst a pair of burning eyes and a myriad of simple, natural scents, beauty lay right in front of him... in her.

"Do you feel it, Seto?" she wondered.

Cold, frozen ice stared boldly into the hazel flames that threatened to melt it. "I think... Maybe I do."

"Someday I'll show you everything that the world has to offer," Serenity promised.

Then, acting purely on instinct, Kaiba brought a hand to her face, closed his eyes, and leaned in for the kiss...

'_I shouldn't... I can't... I won't...'_

Just before he kissed her, his words came back to him. He instantly pulled away, stood up abruptly, and turned his back to Serenity.

The kiss felt tangible to Serenity's lips, and yet it had not happened. She looked up at the troubled boy and asked, concerned, "Are you okay?"

"I can't," Kaiba muttered to himself quietly. "I just can't. I won't allow myself to stoop that low. She's... and I'm... How could I possibly..."

She had not heard his words clearly. "Is something wrong?"

"_This_ is wrong!" Kaiba snapped.

"Seto," Serenity said as she rose and started to come toward him.

Kaiba whirled around, sensing her closeness to him. "Stay away!" he threatened. They were both quiet and tense. His voice then softened as he finished, "I have to go now."

"Goodbye, Seto," Serenity whispered sadly, still unable to understand what had gone wrong.


	5. Chapter 5: Fickle

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.

**Chapter 5: Fickle**

The next morning, Mokuba Kaiba cowered under the intense glare of his older brother. Seto stood above him with a stern and pitiless expression. Ever businesslike, the CEO spoke to him in a monotonistic fashion: "Well? What do you have to say for yourself, Mokuba?"

"I just wanted to help, big brother," Mokuba timidly answered.

"Oh? Help with what?" Kaiba further inquired, bending down to make his ruthless eyes level with those of Mokuba. "What exactly did you hope to accomplish, hmm?" He inched threateningly forward.

A single shiver shot down Mokuba's spine. "I... uh... I just..."

"You can't even bring yourself to say it," Kaiba cruelly said. "Well, luckily, you don't have to. I think that you and I can both comprehend just how foolish your prank was."

Turning his eyes to the ground, Mokuba mumbled, "It felt like the right thing to do."

"' The right thing?'" Kaiba mocked with a malevolent chuckle. "Mokuba, I have no desire to associate with that Wheeler girl."

"Why not?" Mokuba wondered.

"Just forget about it," Kaiba snapped, "and, from now on, stay out of my business. No more questions, no more pranks." Standing tall again, he turned his back to the kid. "I'm going to my room now," he announced. "I need to be alone for a while."

The younger brother eyed Seto with confusion as he stomped up the stairs. Clearly, something had gone wrong the night before, but the scenario was too difficult to interpret, since Seto had provided so few details...

Kaiba, upon entering his room, lay on his bed and heaved a heavy sigh. Even though the day was new, the events of the previous night lingered freshly in his memory. Now, he thought only of Serenity Wheeler. She was a _Wheeler,_ after all. To fall for the sister of that dog, Joey, would be foolish. Like her brother, she was nothing: a common girl with nowhere to go, nothing to become.

The troubled teen shut his eyes tightly, trying to remove the memories from his head. "It's those damn eyes," he griped. "If it weren't for those damn eyes, I never would've tried to..."

He paused, desperately not wanting to finish the sentence that he started. Reluctantly, he concluded, "...kiss her." The words came out as a disgusted groan.

He ran his fingers through his hair. "I was so close," he furiously recalled. "I can't allow myself to stoop that low again."

"Seto?" said a quiet, somewhat scared voice.

Kaiba sighed with annoyance. "Mokuba, I told you to leave me alone."

"Sorry," Mokuba said, sticking his head into the room, "I didn't mean to disturb you. I just wanted to ask if I can go to a friend's house now."

"I suppose you just want to get away from me," Kaiba coldly accused.

Mokuba defended, "Well, you said that you need to be alone, so—"

Kaiba grunted, "Just go already."

With a grin, Mokuba happily scampered away. If he could not get answers from Seto, then he would simply search somewhere else, and he knew exactly where to go. The clever kid ran to the other part of town and soon found himself knocking on the door of a little apartment.

"Coming!" came the voice of Serenity Wheeler as she rushed to answer the door. When she opened it, she was surprised to see who was standing before her. "Hello, Mokuba!" she greeted cheerily.

The younger Kaiba brother panted from exhaustion, "I ran all the way here."

"Please, come in," Serenity offered. "I'll get you a glass of water."

Mokuba followed Serenity inside. The apartment was small, but quaint. It was decorated modestly, yet it was quite pretty just the same.

Serenity motioned for Mokuba to have a seat at the kitchen table, then handed him a glass of water. Sitting across from him, she asked, "Now, what's all this about?"

Mokuba thirstily gulped down the entire glass of water before answering. "It's Seto," he finally replied.

"I figured it was," Serenity laughed.

"He's upset," Mokuba explained. "He discovered that I wrote those love notes, and... Oh! You didn't know that, did you?"

Serenity giggled as she got up from the table to refill Mokuba's glass of water. "Seto pointed that out to me yesterday," she said, smiling. "Do you want to know what I think?"

"Sure."

Serenity placed her hand on Mokuba's head and ruffled his hair. "I think it was an adorable idea."

"Thanks, Serenity!" Mokuba told her gratefully.

"So continue with your story," Serenity urged, sitting back down at the table.

"He talked to me about it this morning, but all he did was scold me," Mokuba frowned. "He didn't even give me any details."

"So that's why you're here," Serenity realized. "I won't mind telling you what happened."

Mokuba perked up, eager to hear the juicy details of the date that he arranged.

"We met under the sakura tree, just like you wanted us to," she began, smiling. "For me, it was really surprising to see Seto there. He was the last person who I would've guessed to be my 'secret admirer.' When I spoke to him, he was very suspicious about the whole thing, and he figured out what was going on pretty quickly."

"I guess I should've predicted that Seto would catch on," Mokuba admitted.

"He wasn't very open to the idea at first," Serenity went on. "He said that he wanted to go back to Kaiba Corp., but I talked him out of it. After that..." She paused, and her eyes became distant as visions of the lovely restaurant and shining city lights filled her head.

"After that...?" Mokuba repeated, leaning forward impatiently.

"He took me to this beautiful, French restaurant," she dreamily sighed, "with chandeliers and mirrors and paintings... Everything in gold and crystal..."

Watching her faraway expression, Mokuba's lips curled into a devious snicker.

"Then we went out onto the terrace, and he showed me the view of the city. The lights were glowing like stars. It made me want to see the real stars, too, so I took him to my secret place by the lake—dark and quiet—and we watched the night sky."

With each of her words, Mokuba swelled with pride, believing that his plan had gone even better than expected.

"And then..." Stopping again, Serenity suddenly snapped back to reality. Her face scrunched up in confusion as she recalled, "He acted very strange."

Mokuba's heart worriedly skipped a beat. "What happened?"

"He nearly kissed me," Serenity divulged.

The boy's eyes widened. "Really?" he asked, stunned.

Serenity nodded. "Yeah, but, for some reason, he didn't go through with it. I don't understand what happened."

Mokuba pounded his fist on the table with aggravation. "My brother is always too scared to make a real move," he angrily asserted.

"Is he?" Serenity disbelieving questioned. "Seto doesn't seem like the kind of guy who would be shy."

"No, not like that," Mokuba clarified. "Scared of relationships. Commitment. I don't even remember the last time he had a real girlfriend."

A blush developed on Serenity's cheeks. "Mokuba," she quietly addressed the boy, "I'm not ready for a committed relationship either."

Mokuba tilted his head in bafflement. "Huh? Don't you like my brother? You act as if you do."

Her blush became an even deeper shade of red. "Oh, no," she denied. "I just think he needs a friend, that's all. He looks so lonely and cold all the time. I want to show him all of the beautiful things in this world. That doesn't mean that I like him _that _way."

There was a moment of silence, but Mokuba bravely broke it: "Seto feels something for you. I know it. Just give him a chance."

Serenity anxiously twirled a strand of her hair. "I don't know, Mokuba."

"Meet with him again," Mokuba insisted. "See what happens."

She shifted her body uncomfortably and bit her bottom lip.

"It'll be easy," the boy comforted. "Seto has a list of stuff that he needs to get at the market this evening. When he goes, you can go, too. That way, it'll look like a coincidence. Then you can talk to him and figure out what he's really thinking."

Serenity considered it for a moment. With a hint of reservation in her voice, she concluded, "Okay, I'll go."

Mokuba beamed with pleasure. "Great!" he exclaimed. "Be at the market this evening around 6:00. For now, I gotta go. I don't want Seto to get too suspicious." He went to the door and opened it. As he headed out, he turned back to Serenity, grinning. "See ya later, Serenity!

* * *

Gray clouds filled the darkened sky. The air was cool and moist. Heavy rain was approaching, and that was a fact.

Seto Kaiba pulled a list of assorted essentials out of his pocket and read through it again. Luckily, he had purchased all of the items and was ready to go home. For this fact he was thankful. He hated shopping at the market and generally avoided it whenever possible. Mostly he gave this sort of duty to Mokuba, but today the boy had insisted that he had too much homework to do.

"Hello!" shouted a nearby voice. Kaiba, not realizing that he had been addressed, paid no attention. Suddenly he felt a hand on his shoulder.

It was Serenity, looking absolutely delighted to see him. "This is a pleasant surprise! What are you doing here, Seto?"

Kaiba casually brushed her hand off of his shoulder. "Don't touch me," he chided.

Serenity cautiously took a step backward and apologized, "I'm sorry, Seto."

"It's _Kaiba,"_ he spitefully corrected her.

"Right," she quietly conceded. "Kaiba."

"Now, do me a favor," he spoke with malice in his voice, making the words feel like a command, rather than a request.

"Yes?"

The billionaire's lips formed a nasty grin full of malevolence. "Get away from me," he ordered, his grin growing more vicious by the second.

Serenity's eyes widened with fear. The expression on his face was so wicked that it paralyzed her.

"What are you waiting for?" Kaiba growled, growing impatient. "Get going."

"I... I..." stammered the girl.

"I don't have time for this," Kaiba grumbled as he pushed his way past her and started to walk away.

She took a second to shake off the shock and fright. "Wait!" she cried, jogging after him.

But he did not wait. He continued onward at a swift pace, attempting to ignore the fact that the girl was gaining on him. Soon she was jogging right beside him. "Why are you so mad at me?" she panted.

Kaiba grunted, "I'm not mad."

Serenity raised her voice in annoyance, "Then why are you acting like this?"

Kaiba suddenly stopped in his tracks. He turned to face the girl, and, with a chillingly straight face, he warned, "Go home, Serenity. Don't worry yourself with any of this. Just go home."

"But—"

Another voice suddenly came from behind them, "Hey, Serenity!"

Serenity turned her head, only to see a school friend rushing up to her. "You'll never guess what happened today!"

"Oh, no, I can't talk right now," Serenity told her hurriedly. She whirled around to meet Kaiba again, but the teen had taken this opportunity to sprint away. He was just rounding a corner, nearly out of sight.

"Hey, was that Seto Kaiba?" Serenity's friend inquired with awe.

"Yes, but—"

The girl squealed, "I can't believe it! You were talking to Seto Kaiba! Can you introduce me sometime?"

"Maybe, but not right now; I need to catch up to him," Serenity begged. Then she added courteously, "I promise I'll listen to your story later, okay?"

"Hey, don't worry about it," the friend dismissed with a wink. "Go get him, girl!"

Taking the cue, Serenity ran off in the same direction that she had seen Kaiba going. Raindrops began to drip onto her as she explored different paths and alleyways, attempting to find the elusive CEO. As she headed down another street, the rain suddenly burst from the clouds, pouring hard and fast upon her. She looked for shelter, but that, too, eluded her. She ran even faster then. Her surroundings were a blur to her as she raced through the pouring rain. For a moment, she was no longer sure of why she was running, but she suddenly felt a tug on her arm and she was jerked harshly from her course.

"What are you doing?" reprimanded the strict voice of Seto Kaiba.

"I was running," replied Serenity, her mind still attempting to register what was going on.

"Are you insane?" Kaiba criticized. "It's pouring out there, and you were running like you had no idea where you were going!"

"The harder it poured, the more overwhelmed I felt," she explained. "I was looking for you and someplace to protect me from the rain."

"Well, you've found both," Kaiba informed her as he gestured to an overhang above them.

"Thank you so much, Seto," she said with a bow, expressing her gratitude.

"_Kaiba,"_ he corrected.

"Oh, that's right. Kaiba. I'm sorry that I forgot."

"Whatever," Kaiba said as he jammed his hands into his pockets. "This rain might not let up for a while. We'll be safe and dry here; just make sure to keep your distance."

It was oddly quiet from then on. Kaiba did not speak to Serenity, nor did she speak to him. Then, a loud boom of thunder sounded, causing Serenity to jump. Kaiba glanced over at her.

"Th-That was loud," she stuttered.

Kaiba raised an eyebrow. "Afraid of storms?"

"N-No," Serenity replied. "It just startled me, that's all."

He sneered at her, "Oh yeah? Well, the storm is getting closer. Don't be surprised if it 'startles' you again."

She let out a quiet whimper. More thunder sounded and lightning flashed through the sky. Kaiba kept an eye on Serenity, who was now trembling. "Just admit that you're afraid," he demanded.

Serenity whimpered again. "I'm terrified," she confessed.

At that moment, devastating thunder boomed and it was followed by a bolt of lightning that lit the entire sky with a crash. Serenity let out a cry and shook harder.

"Come here," Kaiba softly ordered. Serenity approached him with caution, and as she got closer, he grabbed her and pulled her quickly toward him. "Nothing's going to hurt you," he assured her.

Serenity, now standing in his arms, sensed that his body was still and stiff. The contact felt uncomfortable and forced, and she was not certain that she wanted it. When the next roaring round of thunder and lightning came, however, he squeezed her tightly and protectively. It was then that her shivering body calmed itself and both teens fell into their positions naturally.

"Thank you, Seto," she whispered quietly. He responded with another little squeeze. Growing more and more comfortable, the girl reminisced, "Joey used to hold me like this too when we were little. During storms, we would huddle in a corner and he would hold me so tight... But then, when the family split up, I had no one to turn to. I never conquered my fear."

"Don't think about that now," Kaiba suggested.

Though she knew that his comment was well-meant, she insisted, "No, it's a good memory. I love my big brother. He always looks after me and does everything he can to make my world better. I love Joey so much."

The businessman did not respond.

"I guess that's hard for you to hear," Serenity presumed. "I know that the two of you don't get along." She paused, then added with honesty, "You're very cruel to him."

"I know," Kaiba acknowledged. "I'm sorry."

Her little heart fluttered. "Do you really mean that?"

Kaiba looked into Serenity's eyes. He had seen so many things in them over the past few days: hope, passion, fear, beauty... He could not hurt her. "Yes," he answered.

"Seto," she whispered, then suddenly caught herself, "I mean, Kaiba—"

"Seto," Kaiba allowed.

She shook her head and chuckled, "You're so fickle. I wish you'd make up your mind."

Kaiba simply stared back at her. As he did this, Serenity watched his eyes, seeing the same dull sapphires that she had noticed before—empty, but searching. Surely there was a way to make those sapphires glow. If only she could polish them and bring back their luster; they had the potential to be extraordinarily beautiful.

"Serenity," murmured the boy as he raised a hand to her face and brushed away a wet strand of hair. Then, slowly and tenderly, he placed a soft kiss upon her delicate lips.

Serenity closed her eyes and welcomed the kiss wholeheartedly. She could never have imagined that such a kiss could come from someone whose eyes were dismally empty at times and frighteningly intense at others. She wrapped her arms around his waist and passionately returned the kiss.

Then, without warning, a distressful alarm seemed to siren inside of Kaiba's head. His eyes snapped open, he broke the kiss, and he violently pushed Serenity away from him. She stumbled backward and fell to the ground.

"What was that about?" she asked, bewildered.

"I had to stop!" he declared. "I didn't want to do that!"

"You didn't?"

He now had a demented look about him now that showed that the inner conflict was driving him mad. "No! It was wrong!"

Serenity climbed to her feet, saying, "I don't think it was wrong at all."

Kaiba clenched a fist and raised it threateningly, but then he closed his eyes took a deep breath. "You don't understand," he said. "None of this is real. It can't be. It has to be something else—hormones, maybe."

Serenity frowned. "That doesn't make it unreal," she differed.

"Yes, it does," Kaiba insisted. "I'm more mature than that. I'm above that. I'm above... _you."_

Serenity gasped. "How could you say such a thing? Surely you don't mean that."

Kaiba, feeling calmer after spitting out the truth, looked blankly back at her.

"It's no wonder you don't have any friends," she discerned. "You really are as cold as they say you are. But, even so, there was something in that kiss that was real. I felt it."

When Kaiba did not reply, Serenity noticed that the thunder and lightning had stopped and the rainfall had lightened. "I think it's safe to go now," she concluded. Then she turned to Kaiba. "Listen, Seto. You need to pull yourself together." She approached Kaiba, whose stance became more rigid and mechanical as she neared. She gave him a quick goodbye hug, saying, "Take some time to think about everything. I would love to see you again, should you decide that you want that." Then she leaned up and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Goodbye, Seto."

Kaiba watched her as she walked away. His emotions prevented him from moving. He was so disgusted that his stomach literally felt sick. He was enraged. He was in disbelief. He was... oddly elated. He sat on the ground and leaned against the wall, needing more time to recover.

Meanwhile, as Serenity slowly walked home in the lighter rain, many thoughts raced through her head. Seto Kaiba was possibly the most fickle boy she had ever met. It seemed that a part of him wished to draw her close, while the other part was strongly compelled to push her away. She was convinced, however, that behind the tough exterior lay an icy heart that wanted and needed to melt.

She smiled to herself, remembering the sweet kiss. Perhaps it would not be so bad if she were to like him _that _way. Mokuba, at least, would be pleased.


	6. Chapter 6: Deadly Distraction

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.

**Chapter 6: Deadly Distraction**

The door to the Kaiba mansion creaked open. Seto sulked inside and carelessly laid some packages on the floor.

"Oh, good, you're back," Mokuba noticed. "I was getting worried about you being out in the storm like that."

"Could you put all of this stuff away?" Kaiba requested. "I'm going to take a shower."

With a nod, Mokuba gathered the packages and began to organize all of the things that his big brother purchased at the market. As he did this, Mokuba wondered whether or not Seto had met Serenity as planned. If so, had the encounter gone well?

Meanwhile, Kaiba removed his heavy, rain-soaked clothing and stepped into the shower. His body was cold and numb, and it had been that way ever since Serenity departed. It had taken great strength and perseverance to get home. A long, hot shower was just what he needed.

He closed his eyes and let the warm water pour down upon his face. His tight muscles tingled, then loosened, regaining their feeling. He then took the soap and began to scrub his body obsessively, as if he wished to wash away all of the sins that he had committed. He regretted every minute that he had held her, but most of all, he regretted the kiss. It was entirely, unforgivably wrong. The fact that a part of him had enjoyed it only added to his disgust and disappointment. If only he could completely cleanse himself of the memory.

Soon Kaiba got out of the shower and dried himself off. He then met his reflection in a small mirror. He saw before him the face of a man, not a boy—a powerful man with money and good-looks. He could have anything he wanted. Why, then, did the boy inside want such a worthless girl? For, surely, it was not Kaiba himself who wanted Serenity, but the adolescent buried deep inside him. The issue was simply a struggle between himself and a long-suppressed immaturity that acted on its own instincts. Kaiba was locked in a battle for control.

Of these things, he was immovably convinced.

* * *

A week passed, and Kaiba was still not himself. No matter how hard he tried, he could not shake thoughts of Serenity out of his mind. Mostly they were thoughts about how he did _not_ like her and how she was not good enough for him, but they were thoughts of her nonetheless. She was a constant plague upon his mind.

Sitting behind his desk at Kaiba Corp., the young businessman attempted to read over a document that required his signature, but he was having difficulty concentrating. How many times had this happened during the past week? Somehow, he simply could not bring himself to care about the task at hand, even though he knew that his work was not up to par. He shut his eyes and whispered the girl's name to himself, "Serenity."

"Your signature, sir?" reminded the voice of an employee who stood before his desk. He was a man in his thirties, tall and muscular, with jet black hair and eyes that were hidden behind dark sunglasses.

Kaiba opened his eyes and glanced over the paper. "Yes, sure," he mumbled as he wrote his name on the line.

"Thank you, sir," said the man as he took the paper.

Suddenly another employee entered the room. He was younger than the other, perhaps around the age of twenty-five, with dark blonde hair and handsome features. "There is a call for you, Mr. Kaiba," he informed the CEO.

"Who is it?" Kaiba inquired, slightly annoyed.

"Miss Serenity Wheeler," replied the man.

Kaiba's eyes widened in great disbelief. He gaped at the two men for a moment, then motioned so as to shoo them away. He picked up the phone.

"Hello?" came the sweet voice. "Seto?"

"Hello, Serenity," Kaiba greeted softly, still in shock.

"I'm sorry for bothering you at work," the girl apologized, "but it's been a while, so I thought I'd check on you. How have you been?"

"Fine."

Serenity could tell that his answer was meaningless. Still, she continued, "I know that the other day ended on a bad note, but I hope that the past week helped to clear things up."

Kaiba simply listened.

"Do you think that we could get together sometime soon?" she asked. "We could do something really simple—just walk and talk a little."

No reply.

"Please, Seto?" she pleaded.

Inside his chest, Kaiba's heart began to do strange things. It beat quickly and irregularly, startled, excited, and afraid. "I have to think about it," he said finally, more to himself than to her.

Serenity accepted the response happily. "That's fine," she told him. "Call me back in a few days, okay?"

"Okay."

"I'll let you get back to work now. Goodbye, Seto."

"Bye." Kaiba hung up the phone. He groaned and laid his head on his desk, burying his face in his arms. "Serenity," he sighed heavily. The conflict within him amassed yet again.

Meanwhile, just outside the doorway, the two employees peered into the room. They looked to each other questioningly, unable to decipher the meaning of the phone call. One thing was certain, however: Seto Kaiba was even more distracted than before.

The next couple of days confirmed the employees' fears. Their CEO was physically present, but he was quiet, distant, and unproductive. Without his work, the entire company slowed to a distressingly slow pace. Kaiba Corp. needed him, and he was failing to meet his duties.

Suddenly, in a sort of insane manner, Kaiba snatched up the phone and dialed Serenity's number. When she answered, he immediately blurted, "I need to see you!" She began to speak, but he interrupted: "Tomorrow, at noon, in the park. Be there." He slammed down the phone.

And thus the boy defeated the man.

* * *

Seto did not even bother to work at Kaiba Corp that morning. Instead he found himself in his mansion, looking at his reflection again. The mirror showed an attractive teen who was wearing a suit and tie. "What the hell am I doing?" he asked himself.

"Hey, big brother," Mokuba said as he walked by, "you look spiffy. What's going on?"

"Nothing." Seto reached into his closet and began to search for something else to put on.

"Then what's with the suit?" Mokuba prodded.

"I was just about to change out of it," Kaiba said, still rummaging through his closet.

The kid was skeptical. "You're keeping something from me," he stated confidently.

"Mokuba, it's none of your business," warned Kaiba.

Mokuba's eyes lit up. This sort of behavior from his brother was quite revealing. "Does it have something to do with Serenity?" he guessed hopefully.

Aggravated, Kaiba turned to his brother and glared at him. "I've already told you once, and I shouldn't have to tell you again. It's none of your business."

"But Seto," Mokuba whined.

"Fine," Kaiba consented angrily. He then seated himself in a nearby chair and folded his arms. "Yes. It's about Serenity."

Mokuba placed a hand on Seto's shoulder. "Do you wanna talk about it?" he inquired.

"I'm supposed to meet her at the park in half an hour," he admitted, "but I'm not going."

Confused, Mokuba asked, "Why not?"

"It isn't right. I just can't..." His voice trailed off.

"Listen, Seto," he said seriously. "You've been acting as if liking Serenity is wrong. It isn't."

Kaiba protested. "But I don't—"

Mokuba interrupted him: "Stick with the suit."

Kaiba watched his little brother's expression and understood. The least he could do was finish was he started and confront her.

* * *

Serenity Wheeler sat down on a bench in the park, eager to see Kaiba again. She glanced down at her watch. "I'm a little early," she noticed. Then she shrugged. "Oh well. I can wait."

She looked to the sakura tree under which she and Kaiba had sat on that fateful day when they were supposed to meet their "secret admirers." She smiled. _"_I wonder what Joey would say if he knew I've been spending so much time with Seto?" she wondered. The thought was slightly comical to her. She could see Joey's disgruntled face in her mind.

As she sat there thinking, a man casually strolled by. He was very mysterious, dressed in a black suit and wearing sunglasses. He looked a bit out of place. Then, unexpectedly, he approached Serenity. "Hello there," he greeted politely.

"Good afternoon," she said with a naïve smile.

"Would you happen to know where I can find a Miss Serenity Wheeler?" he asked.

Confused, she answered, "Yes, but why?"

"I am an employee of Kaiba Corporation," he answered, "and I have been instructed by Mr. Kaiba to find her and speak to her."

Believing his claim, the girl told him, "I am Serenity Wheeler."

"Ah," the man said, removing his sunglasses. His eyes were a dark, almost black color. "Mr. Kaiba wishes for me to accompany you to Kaiba Corp.," he told her, "where he will explain to you the details of why he could not meet you here himself."

Serenity questioned worriedly, "Is something wrong?"

"Yes," he answered with a deceptive smirk, "Kaiba hasn't been himself for quite some time. Today he felt especially conflicted."

certainly sounded like Kaiba, given the inconsistent way that he acted around her. Somehow the story was convincing. Serenity stood. "Okay," she innocently agreed, "let's go."

The man instructed, "Follow me." He led her out of the park and in the general direction of the looming skyscraper known as Kaiba Corp. He then turned down an alleyway.

From behind her, Serenity heard an unexpected shuffle.

"Hello?" the Kaiba Corp. employee called, looking around. "Is someone there?"

Serenity also began to survey the alley. Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, she saw two men running up to her. Before she had time to react, she felt a mighty blow to the back of her head. She fell to the ground, immediately unconscious.

* * *

It was precisely 12:00 P.M. Seto Kaiba scanned the park for a sign of Serenity Wheeler, but no traces of her could be found. Where was she? Perhaps she was just running a little late.

He took a seat on a bench and waited for her. The minutes were long, dull, and increasingly infuriating. He waited for nearly an hour, then finally left. As he exited the park, he cursed under his breath. He never should have called her and demanded the meeting. It was madness.

Grumbling, Kaiba headed to his company, feeling that that was where he should have been in the first place, instead of taking time off for a rendezvous that never occurred.


	7. Chapter 7: Captive

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.

**Chapter 7: Captive**

The warm radiance of the sun caused the golden ring to gleam brightly as it hung about its owner's neck. It was a curious thing—large, with a triangle in the center that was decorated with a mysterious-looking eye, and made of pure gold. It was distinctly Egyptian in nature—undoubtedly a rare and ancient artifact.

The possessor was a boy in his teens. His hair was pointed and long, coming down to the middle of his back, and it was colored completely white. He walked down the sidewalk, humming a happy tune to himself, and, with his wide, chocolate eyes, he seemed to be a gentle, naïve individual.

Ryou Bakura curiously stopped before a bookstore and peered into the window. The books on display all held titles relating to such phenomena as astrology, numerology, and magic, and had covers adorned with peculiar symbols.

He stared at the books in fascination, but, reaching into his pockets, he realized that he had not brought enough money with him. Sighing, he continued his stroll through the downtown streets.

…Footsteps.

The sound echoed through his ears. With every step of his own, it quickly and heavily came closer to him. It was quite an intriguing occurrence, for the streets had been so quiet and peaceful only moments before. Out of curiosity, Ryou turned around to find the source of the sound.

"Out of the way, kid!" shouted an alarmed voice.

Ryou's eyes widened as he beheld the abnormal sight:

Three men were speeding toward him, with one man slightly ahead of the others. He was an enigmatic person with dark clothing, dark hair, and eyes that hid behind dark sunglasses. In his arms, he carried a girl. The other two men—a stout, older man and a young, fair-skinned blonde—jogged steadily behind the first.

Ryou did not have time to move. In an instant, the strange man collided with him, and they were both knocked to the ground.

The girl landed in Ryou's lap. She was clearly unconscious. Ryou, concerned, took her head into his hands and raised it. As he held her, he felt the liquid flow into his hands. Thick... Crimson... Blood.

Horrified, he pushed the limp body off of him.

"She's hurt!" the man exclaimed wildly, scrambling to his feet. "She's in desperate need of help, and we're on our way to the hospital!" He snatched the body from the ground and ran before the teen had a chance to say anything. The other two men quickened their paces and followed their partner hurriedly.

Too panicked to react, Ryou could only watch as they all disappeared from sight.

Then, out of the corner of his eye, he realized that the gold, Egyptian ring had also fallen to the ground. He leaned forward, reached out a bloody hand, and grabbed it. He looked down at the artifact and saw his own terrified reflection looking back at him in the faultless gold. With a whimper, he returned the object to his neck.

He then raised his shaking hands and stared at them. So much blood...

* * *

Serenity Wheeler's eyes slowly fluttered open. She felt the comfort of a soft bed under her, and around her she saw the homely looks of a very simple room. She tried to sit up, but the attempt at movement caused a violent pain to surge through her head. She let out a cry.

"Oh, are you awake?" asked a deep, unfamiliar voice.

Serenity watched as a man entered the room. He was wearing a smile and had air of sincerity about him. He was young and thin with honey-colored hair, emerald eyes, and an inviting face. He spoke to her with kindness: "It's nice to see that you're okay."

Trusting him, she whimpered, "My head hurts."

"I know," he said, shaking his head, "it's absolutely awful that they had to do that. I would have talked them out of it, but they tend to favor their own ideas over mine."

The comment left her utterly perplexed. "Excuse me, sir, but what do you mean?"

"Do you not remember what happened?" inquired the man.

She closed her eyes and tried to ignore the horrid aching. It took a moment, but the memories eventually came back to her. "I was on my way to Kaiba Corp.," she recalled. "I was following someone—he said he was an employee—and the next thing I knew, I saw two men coming at me, and I felt the pain..." She looked at the man and her eyes widened in shock. "You're one of them."

A frown played at his lips as if he were deeply hurt. "Please don't think of it that way," he said. "I would never do anything to hurt you. It was their hands that caused the pain, not mine."

His personality and words contradicted the situation at hand. She felt that she ought to be terrified, but the man's presence was oddly comforting. "Please tell me what's going on," she requested.

At that very moment, two other men entered the room. She recognized one man as the Kaiba Corp. employee who had found her in the park. The other man was stocky, gray-haired, and balding—obviously a lot older than the other two. These two men were far more intimidating than the blonde one. The fear hit her, and she looked to the kind man in despair, her eyes filling with tears.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

"Hey, don't cry, Serenity," laughed the man who she had followed. "We'll explain everything. But first, you deserve a proper introduction. The name's Ryuu." He placed a hand on the blonde man's head and ruffled his hair. "I believe you've already met honey-boy. You can call him Rodger. He moved here from America just a few years ago."

"I am Takeshi," said the older man with a bow.

"Anyway," Ryuu went on, "you already know that I am an employee of Kaiba Corp., and the same is true of my comrades here." He gestured to both of them with a sinister grin.

"For over a week, Kaiba Corporation's productivity has been dangerously low," noted Takeshi. "We began to fear for our jobs and the company itself, so we sought a way to bring productivity back to its former level."

"That's right," Ryuu said with a nod. "We soon discovered that the reason for Kaiba Corp.'s slack was due to the actions of Seto Kaiba himself. He became very distant and distracted, and at first, we couldn't figure out why."

"But Mr. Kaiba speaks to himself occasionally," Takeshi informed her with a chuckle. "Usually it is nothing clear or important. One afternoon, however, we heard the word 'Serenity' escape his lips."

"Then, after you called him, his work level deteriorated even further, and in the following days, the company was in more trouble than before," Ryuu continued.

"Without the work of Seto Kaiba, the company is nothing," Rodger explained softly.

"We realized that Kaiba Corporation would soon meet its downfall if we did not act quickly," Takeshi concluded. "It became clear that we had to get rid of the company's greatest threat, and that, right now, is _you."_

"Yeah, we overheard Kaiba's desperate call to you," Ryuu told her with a smirk. "He didn't even bother to come to work today because he was so excited to meet you at noon. I wonder how he felt when you never showed up?"

Ryuu and Takeshi laughed cruelly.

"Hey," Ryuu piped with sudden enthusiasm, "what do you say we go out for some dinner and drinks, Takeshi? We deserve to celebrate a little bit."

"That is not wise, my young friend," Takeshi advised.

Ryuu rolled his eyes. "Come on, you old geezer. Don't you ever like to have fun? Everything will be okay if Rodger stays behind." He turned his attention to the timid American. "You wouldn't mind that, would you, honey-boy?"

"It's fine," Rodger told him. "I think it will be safe for you to go out for a little while. I can take care of things here."

"See, old man?" Ryuu chuckled, clapping Takeshi on the back. "It'll be fine."

Though the elder was uncertain, he left with his coworker, leaving Serenity alone with Rodger. This was a fact that relieved the girl. Rodger had no fearsome qualities about him—a personality that consoled her troubled heart. In fact, she was not sure why a man such as he was working alongside the other two.

He approached the bed and sat on the edge of it. "That must have been very difficult for you to hear," he remarked with sympathy.

"Yes," Serenity admitted.

"I think that this whole thing is a little drastic, personally," Rodger confided. "It's not my style at all. I have a different way of doing things."

"Then why are you helping them?"

"They said that they needed me," Rodger answered with a shrug. "Takeshi created the original idea. He presented it to Ryuu, who agreed to it without question. They pulled me in because they said that we would create a perfect trio: Takeshi has brains, Ryuu has muscle, and I have charisma." He then added thoughtfully, "The overall plan makes sense. Kaiba Corp. definitely will fall if Kaiba doesn't work harder."

"Your heart isn't really in this, is it?" Serenity asked.

He sighed. "It's hatred that motivates Ryuu and Takeshi, but my heart is incapable of hate."

She felt sorry for the man. "They're just using you because you're so sweet," she told him sadly.

"'As sweet as honey,'" he muttered with annoyance in his voice.

"Hmm?"

"That's what Ryuu and Takeshi say," Rodger explained. "The color of my hair only contributes to the problem. I hate it when they call me 'honey-boy.'"

Serenity smiled a little. "It is a kind of silly nickname."

There was a brief silence, though Serenity's head was still afflicted with horrible throbs. "Rodger, I'm in pain," she whispered.

Rodger hung his head. "Again, I must apologize for Ryuu and Takeshi's actions," he told her guiltily. "I was there, yes, but I promise that I didn't hurt you. It was Takeshi who bashed the back of your head. He hit you so hard... You lost a lot of blood, Serenity. I took care of you, though. I bandaged the wound and did my best to stop the bleeding."

"Thank you, Rodger," she told him gratefully.

Rodger got up, saying, "I'll be right back." He returned momentarily, carrying a glass of water and a little pill. "This is for the pain," he explained, handing the items to her.

Serenity smiled at him, then drank the water and swallowed the pill. Rodger made the horrible experience tolerable. She desperately hoped that he would come to his senses and get both of them out of this mess.

It was on that thought that she dwelled as she drifted off into a deep, peaceful sleep.

Rodger watched her with interest. She was so small and fragile as she lay there, but she was nevertheless beautiful. Her body was slender, proportionate, perfect. Light itself seemed to literally emanate from her, glowing with purity and innocence. She was truly an angel. As he ogled her, he became unable to fight his longing...

* * *

That evening, the fiery blonde, Joey Wheeler, let out a disgusted sigh. "Gosh, it's been such a dull day." He fell back onto his bed. Out of boredom, he reached for the phone. "Guess I'll see what Serenity's up to," he muttered, dialing his little sister's phone number.

His mother answered the phone: "Hello, Joseph."

"Hey, Mom," he responded.

"I'm so glad you called." Her voice was shaky and full of worry.

Joey immediately knew that something was wrong. "What's going on?" he nervously asked.

"I haven't seen Serenity for hours," his mother cried. "I don't know what's happened to her. Is she with you, Joseph?"

"No," Joey answered, his heart beginning to race.

"Poor girl, where could she be? She left hours ago, but never came home." The woman began to sob.

"I'm on it, Mom, don't worry," Joey assured her. "Bye." With that, he hung up the phone.

'_Serenity was always there for me,'_ he thought_. 'During the Duelist Kingdom tournament, she gave me something to fight for. Then, in Battle City, she was always by my side to cheer me on. She even saved my life. Now it's my turn to be there for her. Serenity needs me.'_

Joey quickly dialed Tristan Taylor's number. "Tristan!"

"Hey, Joey," came the reply.

"Ya got my sister over there?" Joey urgently asked.

"No," Tristan answered. "Why?"

Joey's heart sunk. "She went out today, but never came back," he explained.

"No way," Tristan said in disbelief. "That's terrible!"

"I know," Joey agreed. "We gotta find her."

"You can count on me," Tristan affirmed. "I'm gonna call Duke Devlin and see if he knows anything."

"Good idea." Without saying goodbye, Joey hung up and immediately called Mai Valentine.

"Hey there, sweetheart. What's up?" Mai answered flirtatiously.

"Sorry, Mai, but I don't have time for chit-chat," he told her hurriedly. "My little sister's missing."

"And I suppose you want me to tell you where she is," Mai joked.

Joey bitterly ignored the comment.

"Don't be so rude. I was just toying with you," said the irritated woman. "Besides, I'm sure you have nothing to worry about. I saw her this afternoon when I was cruising in my convertible. She was going to the park."

"That's great!" Joey exclaimed. "You gotta come pick me up!"

"What for?" Mai questioned.

"You're gonna help me look for Serenity!" Joey commanded.

"If you say so," Mai agreed casually. "I'll be there in a few minutes."

The couple's first order of business was to search the entire park for Serenity, just in case she might still be there. Tristan Taylor and Duke Devlin came to contribute to the effort. The search, however, brought unfortunate results.

Joey plopped down at a picnic table and groaned. Mai sat beside him and put an arm around his shoulder. "Cheer up," she told him tenderly. "We'll find Serenity."

"Yeah," Duke said. "We have to. I would die if anything happened to her."

"Me too," Tristan added sadly. Then a sudden realization hit him. "Hey, we need to call Yugi, Tea, and Bakura," he said. "Maybe they can help us."

Joey nodded and allowed Tristan to make the imperative phone calls. Luckily the other three friends agreed to come to the park to discuss the situation. Yugi and Tea arrived shortly. Bakura, however, was not punctual. Joey grew impatient and began the discussion without him.

The group formed a circle on the ground and tossed around suggestions regarding Serenity's location. The result was a jumbled list of restaurants, friends' houses, popular hang-outs, and any other such places where Serenity was known to spend her time.

Joey stood up, pleased with the final product. "Time to split up and start looking," he concluded eagerly.

Tea protested, "Aren't we going to wait for Bakura?"

"He's already late, and I ain't waitin' around any longer," Joey asserted.

"Just be patient," Tea advised. "Bakura will come."

"Fine," Joey consented angrily. "I'll wait a little bit longer, but if he don't show up soon, I'm leavin'."

As they all waited for Bakura, Yugi chimed in thoughtfully, "Has anybody bothered to talk to Kaiba?"

"What?" Joey roared with outrage.

"We need all of the information we can get, Joey," Yugi explained. "Kaiba may know something."

"Look," said Joey firmly, "waitin' around for Bakura is one thing, but I'll be damned if I'm gonna waste my time waitin' on Kaiba. That guy couldn't care less about what happens to Serenity."

Yugi did not falter. "It's worth a try," he said. "If you really wanted to find her, you'd see that."

Joey was at a loss for words. Of course he wanted to find Serenity; she meant the world to him. Even though working with Seto Kaiba was the last thing that he wanted to do, he knew that Yugi's point was valid. "Call him," he allowed.


	8. Chapter 8: Witness

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.

**Chapter 8: Witness**

There was something on top of her—something touching her, kissing her. The sensation was odd and unreal... It nibbled playfully at her neck, and suddenly she was roused her from her heavy sleep. As her eyes shot open, she immediately wished that the scene was only a nightmare.

Rodger lay on top of her, completely undressed, kissing her and working his masterful hands through the buttons of her shirt. She tried to scream, but he pressed his lips forcefully against hers. Horrified, she kicked and thrashed in an attempt to get out from under him.

In response to her endeavor, Rodger abruptly quit messing with the buttons and placed his hands over her arms, pinning her down. "Is something wrong?" he asked, all too casually.

"I hate you!" she yelled as tears streamed down her cheeks. "You were planning this all along, weren't you? You sick man... You're just like the other two!"

Her statements seemed to break his heart. "Serenity," he spoke softly, "don't say that. I'm not like them. Everything I do, I do out of love."

"This isn't love!" she protested, but the words caused Rodger to adopt even more aggressive mannerisms. He kissed her in a rough, animalistic fashion, keeping her arms pinned. She fought and struggled again, but she ran out of strength.

"Please just do this willingly," Rodger breathed heavily.

With her energy depleted, all felt hopeless, and she could not understand how it had come to this. Rodger had seemed so full of compassion when she spoke to him earlier. Now, however, she knew that a perverse, feral creature dwelled inside him. Her only thought was that maybe, if she were to comply, the abuse would be less damaging. She kissed him weakly.

But the kiss lacked enthusiasm. Agitated, Rodger moved his hands behind her head and pushed it forward, applying pressure precisely upon her injury. The gesture caused Serenity immense pain, but ensured that his and her lips remained tightly locked. She proceeded to reluctantly cooperate with him, returning each of his lustful kisses. All the while, her head felt as though it would burst from the throbbing pain. The moment seemed to go on for an eternity.

Eventually Rodger removed the pressure. His hands wandered down to Serenity's shirt and finished unbuttoning it. "Don't be afraid, Serenity," he whispered. "Everything is going to be okay." He slipped the shirt off of her and ran his hands along her exposed shoulders, arms, and stomach in a tender manner. "Your skin is so soft," he noted dreamily. Then he climbed off of her and stood. "Come here," he cooed, reaching out his hand to help her up from the bed. The frightened girl sat up slowly and allowed him to draw her close.

Serenity shakily wrapped her arms around his waist. It was strange to feel his warm, bare skin. She had never seen a man that way before, entirely nude, ready to take her at any moment...

He caressed her for a short while, softly running his hands along her back. "God," he moaned, "you're perfect." Serenity's face reddened with embarrassment as unhooked her bra and tossed it lightly to the ground. Then, with heavy, panting breaths, he lowered his hands, unzipped her pants, and pulled them down.

Suddenly, Rodger pushed her back onto the bed and loomed over her, ogling her young, virgin body. He then climbed onto the bed, sat at her feet, and allowed his fringe to toy with the fringe of her dainty underwear. He paused to look at her.

She watched him with terror. His eyes were nothing like those of Seto Kaiba. No, Seto's blue voids were, in fact, preferable to those that gazed back at her now. They glowed with a distorted sense of kindness and affection. They were vibrant and full of feeling, sparkling like emeralds. As she stared into the falsely alluring orbs, Serenity's mind raced with thoughts of what people would say if they ever found out about this moment. What would her mother and Joey think? And Seto? Would they understand? She was about to lose it all...

"Don't!" she suddenly screamed. "Please, don't!"

A puzzled look played at his face. Everything about her was desperately resisting him, and he could not understand why. Looking at her, watching the tears flow harder, he realized only one thing: she was in great pain, both physically and emotionally. He cherished her and wanted to give the greatest act of love that he knew, but in seeing that she was so deeply hurt, he felt ashamed. He got up, grabbed his clothes, and dressed. "I'm sorry," he whispered as he laid her shirt, bra, and pants on the edge of the bed. He gave her a kiss on the forehead and left the room.

* * *

Serenity Wheeler had suddenly, mysteriously vanished.

That fact changed matters entirely.

Seto Kaiba walked with passion in his steps, his heart pounding with overwhelming emotion. All of his uncertainty flew from him and was replaced by utter contempt for whoever had seized Serenity. Hatred burned in his heart, greater than any he had ever felt before. He vowed to do whatever it took to find Serenity, even if it meant working with an annoying band of cheerleaders.

Upon reaching the park, Kaiba silently approached the group. He stood before them without salutation, expressing only the arrogant expectance for them to speak first. As they took notice of him, their discussion stopped awkwardly.

"Hello, Kaiba," Yugi greeted. "Come sit with us." He gestured to the circle that he and the others had formed on the ground.

Kaiba shook his head. "I don't intend on staying here for long," he clarified.

"Then why did ya bother to come at all?" Joey asked through gritted teeth. "I think I can speak for everyone by sayin' that I'm surprised you actually came."

Kaiba shot a bitter glare at him. "Do you want my help or not?"

"Yeah, I do," Joey answered, glaring back. "I'm just confused as to why ya suddenly care about my sister."

"Look, Wheeler, I'm not here to discuss intricate details," Kaiba snarled. "I'm here to get the facts. That's it."

"Well, the fact is that we don't know any facts," Joey growled. "We were countin' on _you_ to know something."

"Well, we do know one thing," Tea interjected. "Serenity went to the park earlier today. Mai saw her."

When hearing this, Kaiba fidgeted, and Joey took notice of the slight movement. "What?" he asked. "You know somethin' about that?"

Kaiba's eyes narrowed and met Joey's disdainful scowl. He replied simply, "She was meeting someone."

"And how do you know that?" Joey questioned sharply.

"Because," he answered, folding his arms, "I asked her to be there at noon."

Joey shot up and threateningly raised a fist to Kaiba's face. "Why the hell were you talkin' to my sister and tellin' her what to do?"

Yugi rushed forward to stand between the two vicious enemies. "Hey, take it easy, guys," he urged. "We won't get anywhere by fighting."

Joey lowered his fist, then spat on the ground.

Meanwhile, Mai stood and turned her attention to Kaiba. "So, let me get this straight," she began, a bit perturbed, "you asked Serenity to meet someone at the park at noon? Who?"

"_I_ was going to meet her there," snapped the CEO.

Taken aback, Mai questioned further, "What for?"

Kaiba opened his mouth to answer, but no words came to him. He would not admit his need to see Serenity. He refused to show the desperation, the weakness...

Given his reaction, Mai keenly understood. "Oh, I see," she grinned. "It was a date."

"_What?"_ Joey yelled as he lunged for Kaiba again, but Duke and Tristan joined Yugi in holding the fiery blonde back.

"No, it wasn't a date," Kaiba told Mai matter-of-factly. "It was just something that we needed to do."

Mai's grin grew larger. "Whatever you say, Kaiba," she consented slyly.

Joey could not restrain his anger. He fought against his friends' grasps and managed to wriggle free. "I demand that you tell me just what the hell you've been up to!" he ordered as he flew toward Kaiba with rage.

Kaiba stood calmly, sneering at the thoughtless opponent. When Joey drew near, Kaiba made a maneuver that caused the infuriated teen to fall to the ground.

Just then, a distressed voice came from behind them: "What on earth is going on here?"

All of them looked up with interest. It was Ryou Bakura. Wide-eyed and baffled, he joined the scene, though he walked with a noticeable limp.

"Bakura!" Tea exclaimed, running up to him. "You're just in time!"

"For what?" asked the timid boy. "The greatest fight of the century?"

She chuckled at his comment, then answered, "No, to help us straighten things out." She paused to throw an angry glance at Kaiba and Joey. "We were making progress, till these two started going at it."

Joey crawled to his feet and brushed himself off. "Hey, Bakura," he mumbled. "Glad you could make it."

"Ah, yes, I'm glad as well," Ryou said. "It seems that we've got quite a miserable situation on our hands. "

"Yeah, so what took ya so long?" Joey asked rudely.

"I do apologize," Ryou sighed. "I had to rest for a moment while I was on my way here. It's my leg, you see." He looked down at his left leg. The jeans were slightly torn and had markings of dried blood around the knee.

"You should've mentioned that when we called," Mai noted. "I would've picked you up."

"I didn't want to be a nuisance," Ryou told her with a frown.

"Never mind all that," Joey said. "What happened to ya, Bakura?"

"I took quite the fall," he answered with a nervous laugh, "but it's nothing to fuss over, especially compared to the other thing I witnessed..."

"What do you mean?" Duke chimed in curiously.

"Oh, it was awful," Ryou recalled. "I was walking downtown this afternoon, just window-shopping, you know, when three men suddenly ran toward me: a young, striking, blonde one, an older, fatter one, and a muscular one wearing sunglasses and black suit. The man with sunglasses was carrying an injured girl in his arms. He was going so fast that he bumped into me and we both fell. That's when I scraped my knee, you see. Anyway, the wounded girl landed in my lap. She was unconscious. I tilted up her head, and..."

He suddenly stopped. His face grew pallid and his body began to noticeably tremble.

"Bakura?" Yugi addressed him with concern.

Ryou raised his shaky hands to his face. "There was blood... everywhere..."

Tea gasped, "What did you do then?"

Ryou swallowed hard. "Nothing," he answered. "I was so troubled by the blood that I couldn't move."

"You just sat there and did nothing?" Kaiba snapped at the soft-spoken boy.

"W-Well, I didn't know what t-to do," Ryou stuttered. "It all happened so f-fast."

"It's okay, Bakura," Yugi defended.

"No, it's not!" Kaiba protested, fixing a menacing look upon Ryou. "That could have been Serenity!"

Intimidated, Ryou backed away from the CEO. "I-I don't know..."

Tea, suddenly worried and afraid, questioned softly, "Do you really think it could have been her?"

Kaiba replied, a little more calmly, "It's very possible. Bakura's descriptions happen to fit three employees of mine who, coincidently, weren't at Kaiba Corp. this afternoon when I went in."

"That sounds awfully suspicious," Tristan remarked.

"But what would three of your employees want with my sister?" Joey inquired maliciously.

"There's no time for that," Kaiba concluded. He turned his attention back to meager Ryou. "Try to remember!" he commanded. "Did that girl look anything like Serenity?"

Ryou paused to stare at his once blood-soaked hands. "Yes," he replied shakily, "I suppose she did."

Tea gasped again. Yugi gave her a couple pats on the back to comfort and reassure her. Everyone else exchanged nervous glances.

"Oh dear," Ryou said guiltily. "I witnessed everything and I didn't do anything about it..." He began to apologize over and over again, telling everyone how sorry he was for not recognizing or helping her.

"Quit your whining!" Kaiba told him harshly.

Ryou responded with a quiet whimper.

Kaiba abruptly turned his back to all of them, saying, "If you'll excuse me, I've got some business to take care of." He slowly started to walk away.

"Where do you think you're going?" Joey called after him.

"I've gotten all the information I need," Kaiba replied simply, not bothering to stop and face Joey.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Yugi ran up to Kaiba and tugged on his arm. "You can't do this alone, Kaiba," he said. "We're coming with you."

"You'll get just in the way!" Kaiba scolded, jerking his arm away from Yugi's grip.

"Kaiba," Joey began seriously, holding back his anger. "I wanna stop these goons before they do their worst to Serenity. She's the best sister a guy could have, and I don't know what I'd do without her."

Kaiba did not respond.

"Let me help you," Joey pleaded. "Let _all_ of us help you."

"Fine," Kaiba said simply. "Follow me."

"Where are we gonna go?" Joey wondered.

"My employee, Ryuu, owns a small apartment complex downtown," Kaiba explained, not bothering to stop and face his new cohorts. "It's rundown and empty—the perfect place for a thing like this."

"Great!" Joey grinned. "When I get there, those guys won't know what hit 'em!"


	9. Chatper 9: Rescue

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.

**Chapter 9: Rescue**

Serenity Wheller lay on the bed, eerily still, with her empty eyes directed toward the ceiling. Devastation ruled over her: she could not move, she could not think. All she could do was relive the horror of what Rodger had done.

As she lay there—her neck covered with red marks, her strength gone, her head aching immensely—she could not think of anything but those moments. She felt disgusted, unclean, and violated, as if a part of her had died. Perhaps one day she would be thankful that Rodger did not take everything away from her, but for now she dreaded seeing him again.

Just then, the door flew open and Ryuu and Takeshi staggered in. Ryuu plopped down on the bed while Takeshi fell back into a nearby chair. Their faces were a lush red; they had obviously done much drinking.

Serenity was shaken from her state of shock, forced back into harsh reality. She glanced from Ryuu, to Takeshi, to her clothes that lay at the foot of the bed. She had not bothered to put them back on.

"Well, well, well. Look at you. Honey-boy showed you just how sweet he can be, eh?" Ryuu commented, his words slurred.

There was a long moment of silence, then Takeshi said, "You know, Sincerity, I know just what to do."

Noting the mistaken name, she looked at the old man with fear. He was horribly drunk—much more so than his younger comrade—and it showed in his every word and action. He stumbled out of the chair and neared Serenity. "Sit up," he ordered, removing his belt.

At first she did not obey.

"Sit up!" he repeated loudly.

The second time, she sat up reluctantly, with her back turned to the man. "That's better," he said. "You deserve to be punished for what you did to Kaiba Corporation." Then, using the belt like a whip, he repeatedly lashed Serenity's back.

Ryuu watched with interest, wearing a silly grin. "Hey, that's pretty good idea," he chuckled. "I think I'll join you. I'm gonna give her one for every dollar that Kaiba Corp. has lost in the past week." He, too, removed his belt and began to whip the girl.

The two men continued this abuse for a long time. They enjoyed the activity as if it were some kind game, laughing maniacally as they savored every moment. It went on until Serenity's back was badly cut and bleeding.

"Stop it!" yelled the voice of young, handsome Rodger as he stomped into the room. He grabbed the two drunkards and pulled them aside. "Take these," he instructed, thrusting a bottle of sake into their hands.

Instantly forgetting their game, Ryuu and Takeshi accepted the drinks gratefully and began to guzzle them.

Rodger tenderly scooped Serenity into his arms and took her to a different room on the third floor. He then laid her on a bed and disappeared briefly, only to return with her clothes and a medical kit. He tended to the cuts on her back, then picked up Serenity's bra, shirt, and pants and clothed her.

When Rodger looked at her, he knew that she was hurt and exhausted. He felt sorry for her, knowing that a creature as sweet as this one did not deserve so much pain. He wanted to comfort her. "Lay down," he spoke softly. "You need to rest."

She did as she was told, and the man gently tucked her in. He then climbed into the bed and lay next to her.

"No," Serenity whispered.

"I'm not going to hurt you," Rodger assured her. "I just want you to rest."

She closed her eyes, letting her guard down and allowing the fatigue to overcome her. Rodger snuggled up close to her and began to lightly stroke her cheek; however, as she lay there, she did not mind his actions. The closeness and warmth relieved her, and his gentle touch was soothing. Even his occasional kisses did not bother her. At long last, she fell asleep and found peace within the realm of a pleasant dream.

Soon, a knock came at the door, but Serenity was not awakened. Rodger got up to investigate.

"Hey, honey-boy," came the inebriated voice of Ryuu. "What are you doing in there? Are you fucking her? You should make it quick."

"She doesn't want that," Rodger sighed from behind the door.

"Her loss," Ryuu laughed. "Mind if I come in then?"

"No. You're drunk," Rodger stated.

"Takeshi and I decided it's time to kill her," Ryuu complained. "You gotta let me in."

"I'm not going to let you in," Rodger repeated.

"But we've waited too long," Ryuu protested. "It's time to get it over with."

Rodger told him firmly, "I think she's had enough."

"I don't care about what you think!" Ryuu declared with rage. "The plan was to kill her, so let me in, damn it!"

"For the last time, you're not getting in here. You're drunk, and you don't know what you're talking about."

Ryuu pounded a fist upon the door. "Damn it, Rodger, you're ruining everything! Takeshi and I want her dead. _Now."_

Rodger did not reply.

"I'm gonna talk to Takeshi," Ryuu hissed. "This is all wrong."

Silence.

Rodger went back to the bedroom and stared at the sleeping girl. What was the best thing to do? He could go along with the original plan and allow Ryuu and Takeshi to kill her. That would rid Kaiba Corporation of its biggest enemy, thereby saving his well-paying job and securing his future. The girl was not fond of him anyway; she had rejected his attempts at what he knew to be true love.

On the other hand, he could remain locked in the room with her. Maybe he could call the police, inform them of the situation, and save the peaceful angel... but would he not still suffer the consequences?

Neither option was very appealing to him. All was hopeless.

Another knock. "Hey," Takeshi called, "I say it's time to kill her!"

"Come in," Rodger sighed as he opened the door.

Both Ryuu and Takeshi wallowed in awkwardly. Ryuu locked the door while Takeshi handed Rodger a knife. Armed and ready, the men made their way to the bedroom. Attacking the girl as she slept, however, was too easy for the blood-thirsty drunks. Takeshi ripped her from the bed and threw her into a chair. Ryuu tied her hands and feet together, then stood back to admire his work.

"This is great!" he proclaimed, nudging Takeshi playfully.

"It sure is," Takeshi laughed. "Go ahead and stab her."

"Where?" Ryuu wondered.

Takeshi shrugged. "Anywhere."

* * *

Meanwhile...

Seto Kaiba gazed up at the shabby apartment building, his long trench coat flowing gracefully behind him. He let the gentle wind comb his hair for a moment as he contemplated the events to come. Serenity was certainly inside, enduring unknown horrors at the hands of his own employees. The thought of it was revolting, and Kaiba was already filled with hatred for each of the men. As he stood there, he could only concentrate on making them pay for whatever they may have done to the innocent girl.

He clenched a fist and turned around abruptly. "This is it," he announced to the group behind him.

"Yeah!" Joey exclaimed with a grin. "Let's do this!"

"Everyone: stay calm, be quiet, and follow me," Kaiba instructed sternly, turning his back to them again. Sneering, he added, "Oh, and Wheeler, try not to do anything stupid."

Joey grumbled to himself, but followed Kaiba inside. The entire group proceeded to carefully check the rooms on the first floor, when suddenly, they heard a scream.

"That's Serenity!" Joey realized.

With a sudden rush of adrenaline, both Joey and Kaiba raced up the stairs, tracing the shrill sound. They discovered a locked door on the third floor. Joey approached it and banged on it furiously.

"Are you an idiot?" Kaiba criticized in a harsh whisper. "Let me take care of this." He cleared his throat, then asked, "Ryuu?"

"Yeah? Who is it?" asked a slurred voice.

"Seto Kaiba."

The response seemed to instantly sober up the man. "Oh, hello, Mr. Kaiba," Ryuu answered, speaking much more clearly. "I'm terribly sorry that I wasn't at work today. That must be why you're here." Ryuu paused, coughing. "Please excuse me. I've got a terrible cold."

"Actually, Ryuu," Kaiba said with fury boiling inside him, "I'm here because you have something of mine, and I want it back."

"I don't know what you're talking about, Mr. Kaiba."

Joey whispered angrily, "Something of _yours?"_

Kaiba shot a harsh glare at Joey before resuming the conversation with Ryuu. "Don't think you can fool me, Ryuu," he said, his voice growing louder.

"But, Mr. Kaiba, I—"

"Open this door now, you bastard, before I have to break it down!" Kaiba shouted.

In the apartment room, Ryuu looked to Takeshi and Rodger nervously. "What are we gonna do?" he asked.

Blood gushed from Serenity's left arm where Ryuu had stabbed her. With tears pouring from her eyes, she wiggled in the ropes and tried to call to her friends, but Takeshi's hands blocked and muffled the sounds.

"Stab her, Rodger!" Takeshi commanded.

Rodger stared at the knife that he held in his hands.

"What are you waiting for?" Takeshi asked. "Hurry up and do it!"

Surely the old man wanted him to finish her off, since Ryuu, in his drunken stupor, had failed to target a vital part of the girl's body. Rodger's hands shook as he inched the knife closer and closer to Serenity. Eventually, he pressed it softly against her throat, but he pulled it back.

"Come on!" Takeshi urged. "Don't be a coward! Prove to us that you're a man!"

Serenity stared up at Rodger, using her big, teary eyes to beg him to spare her life.

The man who was as sweet as honey could not kill her. She was too pure. So, instead, he inferred that Takeshi was too intoxicated to care whether or not he copied Ryuu's senseless tactic of stabbing her other arm. "I'm so sorry, Serenity," he whispered. "You know that I love you, but this is something that I have to do. I hope that you will be able to forgive me someday." He gave Serenity a kiss on the forehead, then closed his eyes tightly and forced the knife into her right arm.

Serenity's scream penetrated the hands that covered her mouth.

Outside the room, Kaiba and Joey threw themselves at the door. Duke and Tristan also joined the effort, yet the boys' combined strength was still not enough to bring down the barrier that stood between them and Serenity.

Joey whirled around, shouting, "Come on, Yugi! Give us a hand! You too, Bakura!"

Mai rolled her eyes. "Honestly, Joey," she said, "do you really think that's going to help?"

"Wha—?"

"Move aside, boys," Mai said, pushing through them. "Let me show you how it's done." She rummaged through her purse for a moment and then pulled out a hair pin. "I always keep a few of these handy," she explained, winking. She put it into the door's lock and carefully fiddled around for a while. Finally, placing her hand on the doorknob, she quipped, "You guys owe me one." With a clever smirk on her face, she twisted the knob and the door opened.

Joey, Kaiba, Tristan, and Duke charged into the room. Joey immediately singled out the most muscular and intimidating of the men. Pointing at Ryuu, he declared, "Nobody hurts Serenity gets away with it!"

"That's right," Kaiba agreed, cracking his knuckles.

Thus the brawl ensued.

As fists and curses swirled around, Mai used her cell phone to call for help, and Tea, Bakura, and Yugi aided to Serenity. When they untied her, she fell into Tea's arms.

"Seto..." Serenity moaned.

Tea found it difficult to believe. Serenity was surrounded by friends who truly cared about her, and yet she wanted _Kaiba?_

"Seto..." Serenity moaned again.

Tea nervously looked up to watch the fight.

Rodger proved to be a weak foe. He held up his knife shakily, hiding behind it, but never using it. It seemed that he was ashamed and afraid; so much so that he could not fight back.

Takeshi was not difficult either. Being out of shape and drunk, the man was too slow and confused to do much damage. Unbeknownst to everyone, however, he carried a gun...

Just as the older man collapsed, he fired four shots. The poorly aimed bullets flew through the air without warning, influenced by the alcohol in Takeshi's system. One of them completely missed. Two others tore into Duke's leg. The last bullet ricocheted off of something nearby and nicked Tristan's shoulder.

The two boys howled with pain.

For Joey, that was the last straw. He could not bear to see any more harm come to those who he loved. Red-faced and filled with rage, he threw furious punches at Ryuu. With Seto fighting alongside the berserk blonde, the fight was over within moments. Ryuu, Rodger, and Takeshi all lay on the ground, defeated.

Joey immediately rushed over to his sister. He was injured from the battle- Ryuu managed to hit him with a few light slashes of the knife- but his own wounds were of no concern at the moment. "Serenity!" he cried, falling to his knees. "We did it! Everything's gonna be okay!"

Kaiba stood there and watched the scene out of the corner of his eye. Bakura had ripped away part of his shirt and was doctoring one of Serenity's knife wounds. His hands were once again covered with her blood. Seeing it, Kaiba wondered just how much blood she had lost throughout the day, and he could not help but worry about her. Everything inside of him desperately called for him to help her, but he would not act upon the urges. Hiding behind his pride, he folded his arms and looked away.

"Seto..."

"What was that, Serenity?" Joey asked.

Tea, who still held the damaged girl, looked to Joey and whispered, "She said 'Seto.'"

Joey's eyes widened in disbelief. He turned his attention to Kaiba and took note of the businessman's posture. It was arrogant and indifferent; so very typical of Seto Kaiba. _'Why does she want him?'_ Joey asked himself. _'Doesn't Serenity love me?'_

Tea, too, noticed Kaiba's conceited attitude. The fact that Serenity wanted him, of all people, was disgusting... but, unlike Joey, Tea felt that the girl deserved to have what she wanted, no matter who or what it was. What if this was her last moment?

"Kaiba," Tea addressed him seriously, "she wants you."

Kaiba slowly walked over to Tea, Joey, Bakura, and Serenity. He stood over them for a brief moment, struggling against his own emotions. He met Joey's stunned, gaping expression for a minute and gave into the feelings that afflicted him. Sorrow came across his face as he sat down beside the others. "I'm here," he whispered to Serenity, running his fingers through her hair once.

The girl smiled up at him feebly.

Kaiba glanced over at Tea. "May I hold her?" he questioned.

Tea did not answer, but looked to Joey instead, hoping that he understood.

Joey, however, was too shocked to say anything. He simply watched as Kaiba took Serenity into his arms.

Tears filled Kaiba's eyes. Serenity's body was so battered, so abused; filled with marks and injuries that would leave scars to always remind her of what happened. It hurt to look at her, but he would not allow the tears to fall. Even under this circumstance, his ego would not permit it. "Serenity," he said softly, "I'm here for you. I'm here..." He took her hand.

"Seto, I... I..."

Kaiba placed his finger on Serenity's lips. "Shhh... Don't speak. Save your strength," he told her.

Serenity squeezed Kaiba's hand tightly.

"Serenity," Kaiba crooned. With his heart aching, he repeated the name over and over and rocked her gently. The effect of it was much like that of a lullaby, sweet and consoling. Serenity's eyes fell shut.

"Be strong, Serenity," Kaiba finished, leaning forward and laying his head against hers.

Serenity would not let go of his hand. She held it as tightly as she could. Sirens were heard in the distance as her grip gradually began to loosen. It continued to do so until, finally, it was there no longer and she lost consciousness.


	10. Chapter 10: Brutal Accusation

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.

**Chapter 10: Brutal Accusation**

The hospital waiting room was quiet and full of tension. Seto Kaiba sat, hunched over, with his hands clasped together. His face showed signs of being shaken and hurt. His eyes were ever so slightly puffed and red: proof of the emotions that he was now trying so hard to restrain.

They—Seto, Joey, Mai, Yugi, Ryou, and Tea—were all waiting to hear what would become of Tristan, Duke, and Serenity. Time seemed to flow at an incredibly slow rate, and the silence of the room was especially discomforting. Joey had buried his face in Mai's shoulder, and the woman was trying to comfort him by petting his soft hair. Bakura stared at his hands with a crazed expression, immersed in memories of the day's bloodshed. Yugi and Tea sat very quietly and appeared to be in deep thought.

Suddenly, Tea spoke. "Kaiba," she began softly and somewhat hesitantly, "what was that back there... with Serenity?"

Kaiba did not answer.

"I just wondered," Tea went on, "because I've never seen you like that before." When Kaiba turned to her, she gasped a little at the sight of his solemn expression. "Are you okay?"

"Leave me alone," he muttered drearily.

She nodded and looked away.

The short dialogue caught Joey's attention. He raised his head and glanced over at Kaiba. _'Tea's right,'_ he thought to himself. _'This ain't normal for Kaiba. Somethin' weird is goin' on.' _ He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. _'Why was he gonna meet Serenity at the park? And why was he so kind to her? That's not like him at all.'_

Mai interrupted his train of thought. "Joey, honey, what's on your mind?" She brought a hand to his face and tilted his head toward her.

"Oh... uh... not much, Mai," he laughed nervously. He laid his head on the woman's shoulder and allowed her to play with his hair again. 'W_hat did those Kaiba Corp. guys want with Serenity anyway? What did she ever do to them? It just don't make sense. There's gotta be somethin' more to all this.'_

The doors swung open and a doctor entered the room.

Kaiba rose to his feet unexpectedly and questioned, "How is she?"

"No worries, Mr. Kaiba," the doctor replied, flashing a kind smile. "I expect that Serenity will make a full recovery. She lost a lot of blood, however, and it may take a long time for her to regain her strength."

"May I see her?" Kaiba asked hastily.

"I'm afraid not. She is still unconscious at this moment."

Sighing, Kaiba sat down.

"Hey, how are Tristan and Duke?" Yugi asked worriedly.

"Ah, Tristan is just fine," the doctor assured. "His injury was not very serious. Duke, on the other hand... Well, his wounds will require further treatment and examination. The tissue appears to be quite damaged. Drastic measures may have to be taken."

"What do you mean, 'drastic measures'?" Joey inquired.

Frowning, the doctor answered, "Let us hope that it won't come to that, my friend. It is possible that Duke will show some improvement within the next few days."

Joey accepted the answer, though he was rather unsatisfied with it.

"By the way, kids," the doctor continued, "you're free to visit Tristan now. Just go down that hallway—" –he pointed to a door on the other side of the room—"—and enter the second room on the right. I'm sure he'll be happy to see you."

"Thanks, Doctor!" Yugi exclaimed. He then stood up and encouraged excitedly, "Come on, guys! Let's go see Tristan!"

All but Kaiba stood and started to leave the room. Before they exited, Tea addressed Kaiba. "Aren't you coming?" she asked.

"No," he answered flatly. "I want to be here when Serenity awakens."

"Can't you show a little bit of respect, Kaiba?" Joey growled. "Tristan helped us rescue her!"

"In that case, give him my regards," Kaiba replied with a hint of sarcasm. "I'm staying right here."

"Whatever," Joey conceded, rolling his eyes. With that, they all left the room.

Kaiba leaned back into his chair. It felt wonderful to be alone, for only alone could he think without the pressure of creating a tough façade.

He was glad that Serenity was alive and he was thankful for the hope of her full recovery. This good news lifted a great weight off of his chest. He could not bear to see her die. He needed her, and even though he still did not understand that need, the day's tragedies caused him to acknowledge and accept it. It was there... It was burning.

More than anything, he wanted to know what she had been through; what his own employees had done to her. They stabbed her and abused her- that was obvious- but what was the exact experience, and why did they force her to suffer through it? Surely it was just another devious plot to overthrow him as the president of Kaiba Corporation. How pitiful and expected.

And yet he could not be certain. He was counting on Serenity to provide him with all the details. Regardless of what her tale my hold, however, he knew that he would maintain a passionate hatred for the men who hurt her; a hatred that acted as a fuel for the flame in his heart. As it blazed inside him, he desperately wanted to hold her, soothe her, protect her. If only he could go to her now...

Kaiba glanced up at the clock. It was getting late, and the hospital would not allow him to stay much longer. That was an aggravating fact—he was willing to wait all night for her to gain consciousness—but if he had to leave, he figured that he may as well leave now. That way, he would not have to deal with Joey Wheeler and the rest of his annoying friends.

When he returned to his mansion, Kaiba first stopped at the bathroom. He turned on the cold water, placed his hands under the faucet, and splashed some water onto his face. It was cool and refreshing. The sensation brought a memory back to him. He closed his eyes. In his mind, he could hear the rain pouring and the thunder booming. He saw himself there, holding Serenity close to him, and he felt the kiss upon his lips.

He had tried so hard to scrub that kiss away. He had wanted to rinse off every thought and every emotion that involved her. With that mindset, he had not given himself time or permission to consider how wonderfully right it felt. But now, he knew that all of it had been real. The feelings. The kiss. The _need._

"Hey, Seto," said a soft voice, interrupting Kaiba's fond recollection.

"I thought you were asleep," Kaiba acknowledged irritably.

"No, I was waiting for you," Mokuba explained. "I wanted to hear about your date with Serenity."

Kaiba splashed some more water onto his face, then turned to his little brother. "It's a long story, Mokuba," he said.

Beholding Seto's appearance, Mokuba remarked, "What happened? You look kinda rough."

Indeed, the scuffle had left Kaiba a bit ragged. He turned off the faucet, saying, "Sit down, Mokuba, and I'll tell you all about it."

* * *

"Serenity..."

The name echoed through her mind.

"Serenity..."

Distant and almost inaudible.

"Serenity..."

Soft and sweet.

"Serenity, wake up, hon."

Serenity Wheeler slowly opened her eyes, finding the kind face of a nurse, who smiled pleasantly.

"You've been out for a long time," the nurse informed her. "It's time to wake up."

Serenity's eyes fell shut again.

"Come on, Serenity," the nurse urged. "You have to stay awake."

The girl opened her eyes again, then struggled to lift herself up into a sitting position.

"That's better," the nurse said. "How are you feeling?"

Serenity moaned. "I'm tired, and my body aches all over."

"You lost a lot of blood, Serenity." She paused, frowning and feeling sorry for the poor girl. "You'll have to wait a while before I can give you something for the pain. You've got quite a bit of medicine in your system already. Any more would be harmful to you."

Serenity nodded in understanding, then looked at her arms, where the pain was worst. There were stitches in them, but why? What had happened? She could not remember. Her only recollection was that of being in Seto Kaiba's arms as he repeated her name over and over, saying it in such a sweet tone that it sounded like he was singing a lullaby to her.

"Is there anything else that I can do for you, dear?" the nurse offered.

She shook her head.

"How about a visitor? Your brother came to the hospital first thing this morning. He's been waiting patiently for you to wake up."

Serenity looked up hopefully. "Joey's here?"

The nurse nodded. "You just wait here a minute while I go get him."

As Serenity waited, she tried to remember what happened to her, but her mind was blank. Finally, her brother entered the room.

"Hi, Serenity!" Joey exclaimed.

"Hello, Joey," she greeted happily.

He sat beside her on the bed. "You sure are a sleepy head," he joked. "I was startin' to think you'd never wake up. But, anyway, the doc said you're gonna be just fine, so don't you worry about a thing, sis. I'm gonna be here for ya till you're completely healed!"

She smiled and hugged him tightly. "Thank you, Joey."

Smiling, he patted her on the back. "It's the least I can do." He paused, then asked, "Did you hear about Duke and Tristan?"

"What about them?" Serenity questioned.

"One of those guys shot 'em: Duke in the leg and Tristan in the shoulder."

When she heard those words, Serenity's memories flooded back to her. Finding Ryuu at the park... Following him down the alleyway... Feeling the pain in back in her head... Then, vividly, the scenes with Rodger came to her. Tears formed in her eyes.

Joey noticed her troubled nature and squeezed her tightly. "It'll be okay, Serenity," he assured her. "Tristan's just fine, and Duke... Well, I don't know about Duke, but I figure that optimism is the best policy."

Serenity gasped. "He's not dying, is he?"

"No. Nothin' like that. It's just his leg—serious tissue damage or somethin'."

The tears burst out of her. "Joey," she cried, laying her head on his chest, "this is all so awful..."

The older brother tried his best to console his baby sister, but her tears kept coming. "Do you wanna talk about what happened?" he offered.

Serenity wiped her eyes and shook her head. Then she asked softly, "Where's Seto?"

"_Kaiba?"_ Joey repeated, startled by the notion. He quickly adopted a false composure. "He's probably at Kaiba Corp.," he told her. "That kid's always got a lot of work to do."

Kaiba Corporation. She could not help but wonder how it would fare now. Hopefully Seto could bring the company out of its rut, but if he were to fail, it would all be her fault. The tears continued to fall, and what little energy she had was swiftly drained from her.

She could not sit up any longer, so she lay back in the bed. "Joey," she whimpered, "I'm so tired."

"That's okay," Joey told her. "You can rest. Just promise me that you'll get better, okay? I don't wanna lose you."

She nodded, then shut her eyes.

"Goodbye, Serenity," he whispered. Then he left the room, shutting the door quietly behind him. As he neared the end of the hallway, he saw Seto Kaiba coming toward him. The sight sent anger throughout Joey's body.

"What are you doin' here, Kaiba?" he growled.

"I'm here to visit Serenity," Kaiba answered simply.

"If you wanna disturb her, then go ahead," Joey scolded. "She's been cryin', she's in pain, and she's exhausted. But go get her up if you want. I'm sure she'll be really happy about that."

Kaiba was tempted to snap back, but he withheld the urge. "So, she's asleep?" he asked.

"Yeah," Joey stated sharply.

"Then I won't bother her," Kaiba concluded. "Rest is important for Serenity."

"That's right," Joey agreed.

Kaiba turned his back to Joey and walked away. As Joey watched him exit the hospital, he thought to himself, _'Yeah, you'd better be leavin', 'cause I know what you're up to. Nobody fools Joey Wheeler.'_

_

* * *

_

Later that evening...

Mokuba Kaiba sat, studying his deck of Duel Monsters cards and revising its structure, when suddenly a violent banging sounded through the Kaiba mansion. The noise, having rudely broken the boy's concentration, was an annoyance. Mokuba rushed to the door and opened it, yelling, "What do you want?"

Joey Wheeler stood before him. "You don't have to yell at me," he said. "I'm just here for a little visit. Is that so wrong?" He walked past Mokuba, entering the large building. "So this is the famous Kaiba mansion," he muttered to himself, pausing to marvel at its size and splendor.

Mokuba slammed the door shut. "Did I tell you that you could come in?" he asked angrily.

Joey shrugged. "Who needs permission? I was gonna come in whether I got it or not. I have to settle some things with your brother."

"Like what?" Mokuba wondered, raising an eyebrow.

"Just stuff."

"Well, Seto's up in his office doing some work. You really shouldn't bother him with your 'stuff.'"

"Hey, it's not just any stuff; it's important stuff," Joey argued. "Show me the way to his office."

Without saying anything, Mokuba led Joey to his brother's office. Despite his suspicions, he left so as to give Seto and Joey some privacy for their "important" discussion.

Joey barged into Kaiba's office without knocking. "Hello, moneybags!" he greeted loudly to announce his presence. "Having a nice day?"

Kaiba, who was sitting at his computer, glared at Joey. "What are you doing here, Wheeler?"

"I'm here to have a man-to-man chat with ya," Joey sneered.

"Cut the small talk and get to the point," Kaiba ordered.

Joey began, "I know what you're up to."

"Is that so?" Kaiba teased. "Fill me in, because I didn't know that I was up to something."

Joey insisted, "If ya really wanna hear about it, you're gonna have to get out of your little chair and come here."

Kaiba rolled his eyes in annoyance. "I don't have time for this!"

"Come on. It's important, rich boy." Joey raised his hand and gestured for Kaiba to come to him.

Kaiba stood and walked over to Joey. "Make it quick, mutt," he demanded.

Joey, wearing a smirk on his face, leaned close to Kaiba. "I know what you've been hiding," he whispered, "and I don't like it." He raised his fist and gave Kaiba a punch in the face.

"Is that the best you've got, Wheeler?" Kaiba taunted.

Joey's face reddened as he warned, "Don't push me, Kaiba..."

"Come on, dog; give me your best shot!"

"You're askin' for it!"

Kaiba grinned. "Yes, I am."

Joey grabbed Kaiba and threw him against the wall. "Why'd you do it?" he yelled.

"Do what?"

"Try to kill Serenity!"

Kaiba could not comprehend. "What? I never-"

Joey interrupted him. "Don't deny it!" He punched Kaiba again.

"I don't know what you're talking about!"

"You tried to kill my sister!" Joey accused fiercely. "I know you did!" He threw several furious punches at the clueless CEO, and as he did so, he explained his theory:

"You wanted to give good ol' Joey Wheeler a hard time, didn't you? You figured the best way to get to me was through my sister, so you earned her trust. When the time was right, you made your move: you paid those three guys to kill her. Then, after we all started to figure things out, you decided to 'help' us, thinkin' you could cover up your scheme. Well, I know better. Now that your first plan has failed, you're gonna do the dirty work yourself!"

"That's absurd!" Kaiba shouted.

Joey continued to beat the vulnerable teen. After a while, he asked, "Why won't you fight back, moneybags? Are you scared? Or maybe you're just ashamed of the truth!"

Kaiba, whose face was already blackened and swollen, did not respond.

Joey clutched Kaiba's shirt and pulled him closer. "What the hell is wrong with you?" He then grabbed Kaiba by the throat and choked him. "Stop actin' like you don't know what I'm talkin' about and admit the truth!"

Kaiba struggled to speak. "You're crazy," he eventually sputtered.

"Huh?" Joey loosened his grip.

"I would never hurt Serenity," Kaiba claimed.

"And why not?" Joey had a fist ready to hit the businessman again.

With eyes fixed intensely on the aggressor, Kaiba admitted, "I like her."

Joey studied him disbelievingly.

"Actually, it's more than that," Kaiba corrected passionately. "Hell, I may even love her!"

"What?" Joey asked, appalled.

"You heard me," Kaiba said, his face serious.

Joey tightened his grip around Kaiba's neck. "No!" he refused. "You don't even know what love is!" The businessman struggled and gasped for air, but Joey would not release him. "You're just tryin' to make me look like the bad guy, pretendin' like you don't deserve none of this. You're a liar, Kaiba; a fuckin' liar!" He thrust his fist into Kaiba's face again, this time with all of his strength.

The blow was so forceful that Kaiba's knees gave out from under him and he crumbled to the ground. Joey scoffed at the sight of it. "Anything else ya wanna tell me?" he asked, nudging the body with his foot.

Kaiba was silent and unmoving.

"Guess not," Joey snickered. He started to leave the room. With his hand on the doorknob, he paused to look at the unconscious CEO one more time. "Bastard," he muttered under his breath.


	11. Chapter 11: His True Character

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.

**Chapter 11: His True Character**

Mokuba frowned as he looked upon his big brother's battered face. It was so puffed and purple that Seto hardly looked like himself—an agonizing sight to behold."Here, Seto," Mokuba said kindly, handing him an ice pack.

Kaiba accepted it and placed it over his blackened, swollen left eye, wincing as he did so. The frigidity stung at first, but it soon began to numb the pain.

"I should've known Joey would do something like that," Mokuba admitted with guilt. "I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault, Mokuba," Kaiba assured him.

"Seto," the boy began quietly, "may I ask you something?"

"Go ahead," Kaiba allowed.

"How did this happen? Joey's tough, but—"

"I didn't fight back," Kaiba responded earnestly.

"Why not?"

"I couldn't..." Kaiba muttered, his voice trailing off.

When Joey attacked, Kaiba was naturally tempted to take down the moronic blonde. He knew that Joey was not truly capable of defeating him, but thoughts of Serenity stopped him from retaliating. With every punch he endured, he remembered her words and his responses to them:

"_I love my big brother," Serenity said. "He always looks after me and does everything he can to make my world better. I love Joey so much... I know that that's probably hard for you to hear. I can see that the two of you don't get along... You're very cruel to him."_

"_I know," Kaiba acknowledged. "I'm sorry."_

"_Do you really mean that?"_

"_Yes," he answered._

The reality was that she loved her dog of a brother, no matter how thickheaded, brazen, and unpolished he was. She was devoted to him and she idolized him, and in return, he protected her and guided her in all aspects of life. The Wheelers' relationship was comparable to that of his own brotherhood… and Kaiba knew it.

He turned to Mokuba and explained, "I couldn't hurt him. Something told me that, if I did, it would break Serenity's heart."

"Wow," Mokuba said in awe. "That's really noble, Seto."

Kaiba ignored the comment.

"You know," Mokuba continued with a proud smile, "you've changed a lot in the past few weeks. It's really nice to see you warm up a bit."

"Mokuba," Kaiba said, his voice soft, "thank you… for everything."

Mokuba beamed at his brother and threw his arms around him in a tight hug. "You're welcome, Seto," he said, almost moved to tears.

Kaiba patted the boy on the back, and, despite the claim that Joey had made, it was clear that he knew what love was.

* * *

The next morning, Serenity Wheeler propped herself up in the hospital bed. After so much rest, her energy was starting to come back to her, and she had no desire to sleep. That did not mean, however, that she was comfortable. Her body still throbbed with pain virtually everywhere, and her heart ached with memories of what happened.

Would she ever feel clean again? Visions of Rodger's body could not leave her mind. How could she ever tell anyone about what the man did to her? It would be too embarrassing, too difficult.

And then there were Duke and Tristan. They suffered because of her. Both of them would be fine now if she simply had not distracted Seto from his work…

But Seto was special. In so many little ways, he had woven himself into her heart. Sitting there, staring out the window, she wished that she could see him.

Suddenly, her brother, Joey, waltzed into the room. "Good morning, sis," he grinned.

"Hello, Joey," she greeted with surprise. "You startled me a little."

He chuckled. "I would've called before I came, but there's no fun in that. I like to shake things up." He went over to the bed and gave the girl a quick hug. "So, how's it goin' today?"

"About as good as it can, I guess," she answered.

"Which ain't really that good, I assume," Joey concluded.

"No, but it's okay," Serenity insisted. "Things will get better."

Joey gave her a thumbs up. "That's the spirit."

Serenity questioned hopefully, "Any news on Duke and Tristan?"

"Yeah, I just talked to the doctors about that," Joey said. "They sent Tristan home—so I'm sure you can expect him to visit every day—and Duke's still here, but it's not lookin' so good."

Her heart skipped a beat.

Noticing her expression, he himself could not repress his worry and sadness. "Yeah… For one reason or another, his leg ain't healin' properly. The doctors are kinda stumped by it. They said that if the wounds don't show any improvement over the next few days, they'll have to amputate."

As his baby sister began to sob, Joey sat next to her and took her in his arms. "It's hard, I know," he said, "but just try to think positive thoughts, Serenity. Things could be so much worse."

She nodded, but did not say anything.

"Listen, Serenity," Joey whispered, "I hate to bear even more bad news, but I came here to talk to you about Kaiba."

Serenity raised a hand to her face and wiped her tears away. "Is he okay?"

"I don't know right now," Joey answered, recalling the image of Kaiba passed out on the floor, "but that's really not the issue. I just wanna know… Why were you supposed to meet with him?"

Serenity took a deep breath in an attempt to stop the crying. When she felt sufficiently calm, she explained, "I think that he needs somebody special, Joey—somebody who can be his friend and make him smile. I've actually already had two or three encounters with him. I know I should've told you earlier, but I guess I was hoping that eventually you'd stumble across it and laugh a little."

"I know you meant well," Joey told her tenderly, "but I don't want you to get too close to him. I don't trust him, Serenity. In fact, there's a lot you need to know."

She looked at him with puzzled and frightened eyes.

"You're not gonna like this, but just hear me out." Joey paused, sighing heavily. "I've put a lot of thought into it, and I really think that Kaiba's up to no good. I believe that he paid those guys to kidnap and murder you."

She opened her mouth to speak, but he placed a finger over her lips and said, "Just listen. I don't know what exactly went on between you and Kaiba, but I'll tell ya right now that, no matter how he may have acted, deep down he's still cold and heartless."

"But Joey—"

"He's rich, he's powerful, and he can get away with whatever he wants. If you think about it, it all makes sense."

"No—"

"Yes, Serenity. There's really no other explanation for it. What would three of Kaiba's employees want with you? You weren't a threat to them."

"But Joey," Serenity protested, "those men said that I was distracting Seto from his work and that Kaiba Corp. would fall if he remained so preoccupied with me. They said they were doing it to save the company and their jobs…"

"If anything, that supports my theory," Joey argued. "Any shrewd businessman is gonna want to get rid of his distractions. Kaiba just didn't want to do it himself."

"That can't be true!" wailed Serenity, suddenly full of emotion.

Joey did not know what to say, nor did he know how to comfort her. He held her as she bawled uncontrollably, but he remained awkwardly silent. He merely listened as she cried:

"Seto would never do that! He may be cruel, but he's not evil! He's good, and he has a heart! I know he does!"

As he embraced her, Joey hoped that Serenity would eventually understand his reasoning. He trusted his own instincts. '_Kaiba's nothin' but a tyrant full of anger and hate,' _he thought to himself. _'That's his true character. He thinks he can use negative emotions to get everything he wants, but nobody ever wins that way. No matter what he does, he'll lose everything in the end.'_

It took a long time Serenity's crying to slacken, but when it did, Joey asked her, "Are you angry at me, Serenity?"

Serenity shook her head and replied, "No."

"Thanks," he remarked gratefully. "You know that I wouldn't say stuff like that if I didn't think there was truth in it."

"I know," she sniffled.

He gave the girl one last, big squeeze. "Just remember that I'll always love you."

Serenity forced a smile.

Sensing that she was still troubled, Joey decided to allow her some time alone to assess the circumstances. "I'll come back to see you tomorrow," he informed her. "Take care."

As he exited the room, he could not help but feel that the discussion was far more difficult than he imagined.

* * *

The sun was beginning to set. In the hours that had passed since Joey's departure, Serenity had done nothing but roll his words over in her head. She had cried so much that it was impossible to produce more tears, no matter how much she hurt.

She checked and rechecked every single memory of Seto, most of which seemed to conclude that even he was not capable of such a malicious deed, but among her recollections existed one incriminating story that Joey once told her:

Seto captured Solomon Muto and locked him into a duel so fierce that the poor old man had to be hospitalized—all for the sake of a Duel Monsters card that Seto ultimately destroyed just so that it could not be used against him…

Yet that was a long time ago—before Duelist Kingdom, before the Battle City tournament, before his moments with her. Surely he was different now. Had he not proved it through his actions and words? The Seto that she knew could not be that ruthless, selfish, and conniving.

Still, questions remained. Would her dear, big brother, who always sought to defend her, really go so far as to accuse Seto without proof? Would Joey lie to her? Would he say those things just to cause a rift in her relationship? That was where the true crisis lay. In the end, it was simply a matter of who she trusted more.

Serenity could not bear to think about it any longer. Seeking a distraction, she turned on the television.

The pensive voice of an anchorwoman filled the room: "This is Amaya Mori, reporting to you live from Domino City, the curious suburb that has been all but quiet ever since the initiation of Kaiba Corporation's young, new president, Seto Kaiba. Yes, from the construction of the amusement park Kaiba Land to the city-wide card game tournament known as Battle City, Seto Kaiba has helped to put Domino City back on the map. Tonight, however, Domino is in the news for reasons not so pleasant.

Behind me, you can see the famous building of Kaiba Corp. itself, a tower shrouded in controversy as I speak to you this evening. Three of its employees—Ryuu Matsuya, Takeshi Koyama, and Rodger Wills— were recently arrested and charged with kidnapping and attempted murder. The victim: thirteen-year-old Serenity Wheeler, a student at Domino Middle School.

Authorities have informed us that Wheeler was rescued from certain death by a band of her closest friends. Seto Kaiba was reportedly among those who saved her, although we have yet to hear from the CEO himself… Oh! There he is now!"

Just then, Kaiba appeared on the screen, walking leisurely out of the building. He clutched his briefcase tightly and walked with his typical swagger—a true businessman. The reporter hurried over to him, shouting, "Mr. Kaiba! What are your thoughts on the recent offense against Serenity Wheeler? Do you have any information that you'd like to share with our viewers?" She thrust a microphone at him.

The camera zoomed in on his face, showing every mark and inflammation. "I have nothing to say," he snarled, shoving the microphone back at her.

"Would you mind telling us how you received those bruises?" she questioned persistently.

Without answering, Kaiba scowled at her and hurried away.

"Well, folks, it seems that Seto Kaiba has no comments on the issue," Amaya concluded, "but you can be sure that we will continue to update you with any information that we receive in the next few days. Back to you, Ken."

The image of Amaya vanished from the screen and was replaced by that of a man sitting behind a desk. "Thanks, Amaya," the anchorman smiled. "Tonight we welcome Dr. Arthur Jobe, critically acclaimed defense attorney and author, to discuss some of the possibilities surrounding this unusual, frightening story."

Another man walked onto the set and sat down.

"Tell us, Dr. Jobe," the newsman prodded. "What exactly do you think is happening here?"

"Well, Ken," the defense attorney began, "nothing is definite right now, but there are already a lot of rumors circulating around Domino. For example, several of the citizens are whispering that Serenity Wheeler is actually the low-profile girlfriend of Seto Kaiba. Some even claim to have seen the two dining out together."

"And what do you think of that?"

"It's all very possible, but people shouldn't waste their time with gossip when there are more important matters at hand. The case itself should take precedence over the love life of Mr. Kaiba."

"Please, tell us your speculations regarding the alleged criminals," Ken urged.

The expert's face was stolid as he analyzed callously, "Kaiba Corporation is a shady company, with shady activities, shady employees, and a shady CEO. Many people foster better opinions of it these days because Gozaburo is out of the picture, but I think that it's still worthy of question, especially now that this has happened. It makes me wonder what other kinds of people and things are lurking inside there.

I personally doubt Mr. Kaiba's capability as the president. Sure, it's true that he drastically changed the direction of the company, but he's a difficult kid to read, and that's all there is to it. I wouldn't put it beyond him to be involved in the crime somehow."

"Those are some very harsh words," Ken remarked with surprise.

"Don't think of it as a formal accusation," the man corrected. "I'm just saying that someone should investigate. Either way, Seto Kaiba's judgment is questionable. What kind of people is he hiring these days and how could he let this happen?"

Click.

Serenity turned off the television. The news program had only helped to plant more doubts into her head. It seemed that her big brother was not the only one who found Seto untrustworthy. Was she too naïve to see him for what he truly was, or were they the ones who refused to look beneath the surface? She could not decide.

Looking out the window, she pondered everything. Minutes passed slowly as she tried to wrap her mind around the entire situation. As the sun dipped farther away, a knock rapped at the door. "Come in," Serenity called.

The door creaked open, and in stepped Seto. He laid down his briefcase and neared her bed. "Serenity," he murmured affectionately.

"Hello, Seto," she greeted, though it was difficult to look at him. The bruises made him physically unpleasant, but he was also foreign to her. She was no longer sure what sort of person hid behind that face.

"I'm sorry for not coming sooner," he apologized. "There was so much work to do today. I left Kaiba Corp. just moments ago."

Little did he know that she had seen what transpired between him and the reporter.

Kaiba sat down on a chair next to the bed. He presented a bouquet of flowers to the girl, saying, "I bought these for you."

Serenity wearily accepted them and said, rather dryly, "Thank you."

"Are you okay?" Kaiba inquired, eyeing her with concern.

"I don't know," she answered, turning away from him. She stared out the window again and watched the sun set.

The fretful boy leaned forward and placed a hand on top of hers. "Serenity," he begged, "please tell me what happened that day. I have to know."

She felt his hand atop her own and looked back at him. "Seto," she spoke softly.

"Yes?" He clasped her hand tighter.

Serenity bit her bottom lip and muttered hesitantly, "We can't do this…"

"What?"

Joey's voice sounded in her head: _'No matter how he may have acted, deep down he's still cold and heartless.' _

Upon hearing it, Serenity's demeanor changed suddenly and drastically. Forcing away her uncertainty, she boldly met the marred face and stated, "We can't see each other anymore."

Kaiba jerked backward with shock, asking, "Why not?"

"We just can't!" she asserted.

"At least give me some kind of explanation!" Kaiba pleaded.

She shook her head and shouted, "No! You can figure it out yourself!"

He gaped at her, dumbfounded.

"Just take your stupid flowers and get out of here!" She threw the bouquet at Kaiba.

Unprepared, he failed to catch it. The bouquet bumped against his chest and the flowers spilled onto his lap. Hiding his pain, he let go of her hand, brushed the flowers to the floor, and stood. Without saying a word, he left the room and closed the door quietly behind him.


	12. Chapter 12: Alone Again

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.

**Chapter 12: Alone Again**

That evening, Seto Kaiba stared up at his own mansion—his home—and he felt empty as he looked at it. It was so tremendous... Were its halls as vacant as he? Turning the door's handle, he sighed.

Immediately as the teen set foot within the mansion, an urgent cry came from Mokuba: "Big brother!" The boy rushed over to his older sibling and threw his arms around him. "Big brother," he repeated softly.

"Mokuba?" mumbled the perplexed Kaiba.

Mokuba buried his face into his brother's shirt. "I've been watching the news, Seto," he explained. "They've been saying terrible things about you."

"Don't worry about it, Mokuba," Kaiba comforted, though his voice was somewhat sharp.

Mokuba clenched tightly onto Seto's shirt and sobbed, "You didn't hear what they said."

"Nor do I wish to," Kaiba concluded dismissively. "I have too much to think about right now."

The boy looked up, but was unable to smile. "Did you visit Serenity like you planned?" he questioned with both curiosity and concern.

Kaiba placed his hands on his kid brother's shoulders. He met the child's eyes and attempted to explain without words, wishing that Mokuba could understand by reading his expression. He wondered what the boy would see in his eyes. Pain? Anger? Sadness? Or perhaps nothing at all, since he felt so hollow.

The two brothers held the gaze for some time. Little Mokuba's eyes would not depart from those of Seto. The blue voids seemed to swallow him. It felt like being stranded at sea, helpless and alone, surrounded by emotion so overwhelming that one would drown in it.

This was a look that Mokuba had never seen before. Eyes doused with crystal tears, he whispered, "Seto?"

Gently, Kaiba pushed Mokuba away from him. "I'm going to bed now," he said simply.

Mokuba watched as his brother sulked away. Seeing it, his own heart shattered. Yet another thing had gone awry—another dent in the long list of horrid happenings in Seto's life. He lay down on the couch and cried for his brother, hoping that Seto was firm enough to withstand the attacks on his company and character, yet also soft enough to allow his emotions to flow naturally.

Meanwhile, Kaiba fell back onto his bed and lay there silently. The room was unlighted and his eyes were not yet adjusted to the sable darkness. It was as though he were looking at the inside of his own, desolate heart...

What happened? Only a day or two had passed since he held the bleeding, fading Serenity in his arms. She had called to him—_wanted_ him. She had clutched his hand as tightly as her weakening body would allow. She had wanted _him_, of all the people surrounding her; not even her brother Joey had possessed as much importance as he in that moment.

What happened? He had just begun to reconsider the situation, the feelings, the memories. He had just allowed himself to accept both the girl and his need for her. He had just admitted that he may _love_ her.

What happened? There was no explanation for her cruel words and actions, unless...

That filthy, son of a bitch turned her against him.

Kaiba's entire body tensed with anger. He had refused to fight Joey Wheeler in order to preserve his relationship with Serenity. He had permitted the weaker opponent to best him, bruise him, beat him. He had put aside all of his own urges and instincts just to save what he thought was love. But in the end, he still lost.

He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. He held the breath for a while, ran his fingers through his hair once, then released the air with a fervent puff: "Serenity."

Did she not have a mind of her own? Was she so blind that she believed all of the trash that came out of Joey's mouth? If so, then maybe he was better off without her. She was still a Wheeler after all; still kin to that lying, mangy mutt. Turning to lay on his side, Kaiba muttered to himself, "I should've kicked Wheeler's scrawny ass."

But amidst all of his rage were many hidden twinges of heartache. Kaiba never heard Serenity's story. He did not know what exactly transpired during her time with Ryuu, Takeshi, and Rodger. With the image of her perishing in his arms burned into his mind, the mystery was nearly unbearable.

Then there was the possibility of love. Was it love that spawned the need? Was it love that now created the emptiness? Was it love that made him feel, for the first time in his life, as though his heart were broken?

...No.

* * *

Duke Devlin glanced out the window. The sky was now soft, with the sun barely raised among the pale, blue hue. Dew lingered on the corners of the glass pane. It was a new day... a daunting day.

He placed his hand on his lower leg and rubbed it gently. Even the light pressure caused him to wince, but he wanted to feel the appendage while it was still there.

A knock sounded at the door. Duke looked up skeptically, surprised that someone would visit at this early hour.

Tristan Taylor stepped into the room. He grinned cheerfully, true to his bright, normal self. "Hey there, Duke!" he exclaimed. "I thought you could use some company this morning!"

"Thanks," Duke responded bitterly.

"Are you alright, buddy?" Tristan asked, sensing the agony in Duke's voice.

Instead of answering the question, Duke grunted, "How's your shoulder?"

"It's getting better and better every day," Tristan happily reported.

"That's great," Duke murmured gravely.

Tristan's cheer faded. "Duke," he said in a serious manner, "I know that today is gonna be rough, but try not to worry so much. You're gonna be okay."

"That's easy for you to say!" blurted the injured teen with a sudden burst of anger. "Your wound is healing, Tristan! It's _healing!_ My leg still hurts like hell and it isn't even the slightest bit better!"

"Calm down-"

Duke threw his hands about the air in annoyance. "Calm down? I'm gonna lose this thing today and you want me to calm down?"

Tristan reasoned, "You don't know that. Maybe, when the doctors examine it, they'll see some signs of improvement."

"There's no improvement, Tristan," Duke argued with certainty. "I can feel it. When the doctors see that, they'll perform the amputation."

"But Duke," Tristan protested in a noticeably softer tone, "wasn't it worth it?"

"Worth all of the strange looks that I'm gonna get? Worth being pointed and stared at? Worth staying in a wheelchair, unable to do everything I want? Unable to live a full life?" Duke fiercely recited. Then he paused and looked away. A single tear streamed down his cheek as he concluded earnestly, "For Serenity, yes."

Tristan smiled. Even though he and Duke constantly competed for Serenity's affection, the two were friends, united by their deep compassion for the girl.

"How is she, by the way?" Duke inquired.

"I stopped by her room on my way here," Tristan noted. "She's still in pain, but she can handle it, and she's been sleeping a lot, so her strength is coming back to her. She'll be fine. The real problem is emotional trauma, I think. When I talked to her, she seemed really depressed and she wouldn't tell me what she was thinking."

"Poor Serenity," Duke sighed. "I wish I could see her."

"Maybe you can," Tristan suggested. "Want me to ask the nurse about it?"

Duke nodded, and Tristan hurried out of the room. Minutes later, he returned with Serenity at his arm, helping her to slowly approach Duke's bed.

"Serenity!" Duke called, waving at her.

"Hello, Duke," Serenity spoke quietly as she seated herself next to him on the bed.

The girl's appearance was pale and despondent. Protectively and instinctually, Duke wrapped his arms about her. "It's so nice to see you," he told her sweetly.

She laid her head on his shoulder and sighed deeply. "Tristan told me about what might happen today. I hate to think about it."

"Then don't," Duke whispered, tightening his embrace.

Serenity paused, thinking. "Duke, promise me that you won't give up."

"Hmm?"

"Back when I had the surgery to correct my blindness, I wasn't confident either," she remembered, "but in the end, everything turned out okay. Sometimes all it takes is a little faith... so promise me that you won't give up."

"I'll only agree to that if you can promise me the same thing," Duke bargained.

Serenity looked up at him. Duke's expression showed that he was aware of her inner pains and doubts—aware that she herself found optimism nearly impossible to achieve. She then glanced over at Tristan, who flashed a rather insecure smile.

The two boys were her dear friends. Recalling that fact, she was also reminded of Joey, Tea, Yugi, Mai, and Bakura. They all loved her. Even though her life was mixed up and broken, she knew that her friends would always be there for her. She turned back to Duke. "I promise."

Duke took a strand of her hair and gingerly moved it behind her ear. "I promise too."

* * *

The morning was still new. Kaiba walked with swiftness and swagger, briefcase in hand, cold eyes fixated on the path ahead, both figuratively and literally. He was never one to contemplate the past or present. What he did in the present, he did to create a future. What happened in the past stayed behind him.

Serenity Wheeler had shaken his routine, his attitude, his very self. All the while, he had not been Seto Kaiba; rather, he had been an immature teen with a childish crush. It was not love. It was not real.

Alone again, he swore that he did not need love nor friendship. He, Mokuba, Kaiba Corporation, and the future were all that could matter. On this cool, autumn morning, Serenity was already a thing of the past.

He stopped when he reached the foot of his beloved company. Kaiba Corporation stood as a tall, proud pinnacle against the soft, rich sky. Kaiba gazed up at the structure fondly and possessively, grateful for its malleable nature. With work, the company could be whatever he wanted it to be; it could do whatever he wanted it to do. It was, to him, his most precious prize.

...But this reverent moment was ruined when a lively yelp rang in his ears: "Mr. Kaiba!"

As he turned, he discovered a reporter who grinned eagerly. Meanwhile, a photographer captured Seto's annoyance with an excited click and flash.

"Mr. Kaiba, please answer a few questions for us," pleaded the reporter.

"I would rather not," said Kaiba coldly, proceeding forward.

The reporter hurried after him, shouting, "But what about all of the rumors that are going around? Don't you want to—"

"What I want is to be alone," Kaiba interrupted fiercely. He then threw open the door to Kaiba Corp. and slammed it behind him, happy to be rid of the bothersome pests.


	13. Chapter 13: Blissful Vindictiveness

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.

**Chapter 13: Blissful Vindictiveness**

A sheet of paper lay on a computer desk, devoid of words, utterly blank. A boy hunched over it, with his hands pressed onto his forehead. His long, white hair drooped down upon the paper. He let out a groan as he anxiously rubbed his forehead.

Ryou Bakura then turned his eyes away from the paper. To his right lay the Egyptian ring, but, looking at it, he noticed that the ring had a spot on it that detracted from its usual, golden sheen.

He reached out and drew the Millennium Ring close to him. He then twisted the artifact and carefully examined the smudge. It was not a single mark, he discovered, but a few small ones, like fingerprints... reddish-brown in color...

His eyes grew wide and his body started to shiver.

It was blood—Serenity Wheeler's.

Ryou set the ring down and stared at the palms of his hands. Not so long ago, Serenity's blood had flooded those guilty hands...

He snatched up the ring again in a manic frenzy. He then hurried off to the bathroom, where he ran cool water across it and scrubbed away the stain. The cleaned Millennium Ring hung about his neck as he returned to his seat at the computer desk.

For a moment, Ryou shut his eyes tightly and took long, deep breaths in an attempt to clear his mind of vivid, bloody memories. When he grew somewhat calmer, he took a pen in his hand and created an account of that day's dark events. It was something that he simply could not forget; the blood was interminably stained on his hands and heart.

* * *

That afternoon, Serenity Wheeler heard a knock on the door.

"Come in," she called.

The door creaked slowly open, and Tristan Taylor entered the room. His expression was uncomfortably blank.

Serenity instinctively knew why he was there, though hours had passed since their last encounter. "How is Duke?" she inquired worriedly.

"The doctors are finished with him," Tristan replied. "I'll help you to his room."

Serenity could not help but fret over Tristan's indefinite answer. Regardless, she went with him to Duke Devlin's hospital room.

Duke lay in his bed, quiet and serious. When Serenity walked in, he looked up at her and flashed a seemingly forced smile. "Serenity," he spoke softly.

She cautiously approached him, tempted to stare downward and decipher whether or not the amputation was carried out...

Suddenly, Duke threw the bed's covers off of him, revealing the intact leg. "You were right, Serenity!" he declared happily. "It just took a little faith, and look- _look- _I'm okay!"

Serenity glanced over at Tristan, who burst into laughter. She recognized the joke- she and Mai did something similar at the end of the Battle City tournament- but she did not let it ruin the moment. Her body felt a sudden burst of strength and the color immediately flushed into her skin.

"Duke!" she exclaimed, rushing over to him. "I'm so happy for you!"

"The doctors said that it's finally starting to heal. Isn't that great?" Duke marveled. "I never knew that hope and confidence could work such wonders!"

"Oh, Duke, I was so worried," Serenity confided, hugging him tightly. "I didn't want anything bad to happen to you." Tears of joy began to stream down her cheeks.

"Yeah, and think: there's hope for you, too!" Duke consoled with optimism. "You're already looking better!"

The comment lightened the girl's heart. If Duke could prevail over such a desperate situation, then perhaps there really was hope for her dizzied, crumbling life.

* * *

When the sky began to take its nighttime form, Seto Kaiba concluded his business and packed his briefcase. The day had passed quickly, for he was content behind his desk, busied with demanding work. Then, stepping into the elevator, he realized that not a single thought of Serenity had troubled him all day. A feeling of triumph overcame him and he smirked slyly to himself.

Just as he walked out of the Kaiba Corp. doors, he was unwillingly swamped by a sea of reporters, cameramen, and photographers. Their voices roared all at once so that he could not distinguish particular words.

"Again?" Kaiba muttered to himself, exasperated. A part of him wished to retaliate—to yell at them and shoo them away—but he withheld that urge, remaining silent as he pushed his way through the crowd. Once free, he ran as fast as his legs could carry him toward the place he called home.

When he entered the mansion, he discovered that it was not silent. A television was on, filling the lavish abode with the sound of serious voices; an abnormal occurrence. The heated discussion differed substantially from the other programs that his little brother normally watched.

Curious, Kaiba approached the couch and placed a hand on Mokuba's shoulder. The kid jumped, startled by Kaiba's gesture.

"What are you watching?" inquired Kaiba.

Mokuba looked up and sniveled tearfully, "Brother..."

Kaiba's eyes wandered to the screen. His own, bruised, and irritated face—the picture taken that very morning—showed in the background while a small group of people debated the intricacies of the Serenity Wheeler case.

Kaiba lurched forward and snatched the remote from Mokuba's hand. Turning off the television, he remarked sternly, "You shouldn't watch that garbage, Mokuba."

The boy, shaken by what he saw and heard, neither moved nor spoke.

"This matter will be over soon," Kaiba insisted, "and then everything will go back to the way it was before."

Images of the lonely, unhappy, and hateful Seto entered Mokuba's mind. He repeated worriedly, "'The way it was before?'"

"Yes. You can't let this stuff get to you, Mokuba," the older brother lectured. "Something will always work against us. It's part of the business. It's part of life."

"Does it have to be?" Mokuba whimpered softly.

"Yes, and the sooner you learn that, the better."

* * *

The next morning...

Joey Wheeler shoved his hands into his pockets, sighing with annoyance as he did so. Then, leaning against a nearby building, he mumbled, "Where is she? C'mon, Mai, hurry up."

"Well, look at what escaped from the kennel," scoffed a recognizably arrogant voice.

Joey turned his attention to the braggart, asking, "What are you doin' here, Kaiba?"

"Just passing by, on my way to Kaiba Corp.," answered the businessman.

Joey surveyed him suspiciously. The bruises that he bestowed on Kaiba were still as black and apparent as ever. Seeing this condition, he grinned fiendishly, "So, does everything still hurt?"

Kaiba answered simply, "No."

Joey chuckled. "Well, you sure don't look good, especially whenever your face is on T.V. That must really add insult to injury... but I personally enjoy knowin' that other people think you're just as slimy and suspicious as I do."

"Don't remind me," Kaiba growled, remembering his recent run-ins with the media. "I came this way to avoid the newspersons." He paused, then malevolently added, "It's fortunate that my new route led me to you."

Joey cocked his head in puzzlement. "Eh?"

Kaiba glared at Joey with severely vicious eyes. "I've been doing a lot of thinking," he began deceitfully.

"About what?"

Blissful vindictiveness played at his lips. "For one thing, I realized that, when this case is finished, I don't want anything to do with your pathetic puppy of a sister."

"Nobody calls my sister a pathetic puppy and gets away with it!" Joey barked.

"Now, now, let me finish," Kaiba hushed with a hint of amusement in his voice. "I also realized that I should've kicked your ass when I had the chance."

"Oh yeah?" Joey took a step toward Kaiba and raised a fist. "Let's go then, moneybags! Right here, right now!"

"That's fine with me," Kaiba grinned.

Before Joey's mind could process what was going on, Kaiba had grabbed him, pulled him around the corner into an empty alley, and pinned him against the wall.

"I don't normally waste time worrying about my past actions," Kaiba sneered, "but this is one mistake that I have to fix." He thrust a fist into Joey's face.

It all happened so fast that Joey remained bewildered, and the expression on his face served as further entertainment to Kaiba. "How does it feel, Wheeler?" he taunted.

"Wha...?"

Laughing maliciously, Kaiba threw several more punches at him. He finished the fight with a wallop to Joey's stomach that caused him to double over and fall to the ground. It was clear that Joey's face would soon blacken and swell to match the CEO's. For Kaiba, revenge could not look any sweeter.

As the impervious victor rounded the corner, a car pulled up and Mai Valentine hopped out of it.

"Hey, Kaiba," she called. "Have you seen Joey? I was supposed to meet him here."

"You'll find him down that way," Kaiba replied cleverly, gesturing toward the alley.

"Thanks," Mai said.

Kaiba nodded, then walked onward. He stopped, however, when Mai's shriek pierced the morning stillness. He thought for a moment, then decisively retraced his steps and peeked around the corner in order to witness the encounter between the blonde sweethearts.

"Joey, what happened to you?" Mai cried, kneeling beside her injured companion.

"K-Kaiba," Joey stuttered.

"Kaiba did this?" Mai asked with surprise.

"Yeah."

"Why, that little—" Mai looked up, her violet eyes briefly meeting Kaiba's. She directed all of her anger and worry into a quick glare, then turned her attention back to Joey. She helped the boy to sit up, wrapped her arms around him, and pulled him close to her.

"Mai?" Joey weakly addressed her.

The woman squeezed him tightly. "Yes, Joey?"

He stared at her with faint, blurred vision. "I love you..."

"I love you too," Mai sincerely told him. She then leaned in and placed a passionate kiss on his bloodied lips.

Meanwhile, Kaiba watched as Joey returned the kiss with equal ardor. Was this love? The touching scene reminded him of his own experience somehow...

With realistic clarity, he envisioned himself holding Serenity as she bled and waned. He heard her fragile voice speak his name. He felt her delicate hand squeeze his desperately.

"Serenity," he whispered to himself.

His eyes widened after the word escaped his lips. Reality crashed down upon him and filled his heart with fear. He fled the scene in discomforted dismay, running toward Kaiba Corp. with great speed.


	14. Chapter 14: Disquieting Memories

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.

**Chapter 14: Disquieting Memories**

His legs sped underneath him, faster and faster with every step, but because he had differed from his normal route, Kaiba Corporation was still a great distance away.

'_Everything will be fine once I reach Kaiba Corp.,' _Seto convinced himself as he rushed urgently toward his company. _'There's a lot to do. I won't think about her. I'm stronger than that; better than that. __I don't love her. I don't need her. I shouldn't. I can't. I won't.'_

These thoughts swirled through his head at a pace as rapid as his footsteps. Serenity Wheeler's face, figure, and all of the memories attached to her played on fast-forward in his mind until his head literally ached.

At long last, Seto reached Kaiba Corporation, out of breath and with a throbbing headache. "Finally," he panted, leaning against the building to catch his breath. "I won't have to think about her anymore."

"Think about whom?" asked an impeding voice.

Kaiba glanced up to see an unfamiliar figure standing beside him. No words came to the winded teen.

The man further probed, "And from what exactly were you running?"

"Just a moment," Kaiba huffed, and he then took a minute to catch his breath. Afterward, he straightened his posture and adopted an outer calm and composure that was typical of his businesslike personality. "What is it that you want from me?" he asked, bitterly and skeptically. "If you're another one of those reporters-"

"Detective Nagano," the man interrupted, producing a badge. He stepped forward and said authoritatively, "I'd like to ask you some questions, Mr. Kaiba."

Kaiba gazed at the detective's serious face. In watching the distrustful eyes, Kaiba realized that his promise to himself was now moot. Nagano would force him to revisit the past and confront the memories.

* * *

Another knock rapped at Serenity Wheeler's door. The girl had come to expect a visitor every day now, whether it be her brother or Tristan Taylor. Both boys had loud, joking personalities, and, thus, she was surprised when someone very quiet and timid entered.

Ryou Bakura shuffled into the room. "Hello, Serenity," he muttered softly.

"Good afternoon, Bakura," Serenity greeted, trying to hide her confusion. "I wasn't expecting you."

"Yes, I know," Ryou said. He began to twiddle his fingers. "I... um... I suppose I came to apologize to you."

"Apologize?" Serenity inquired. "For what?"

Ryou's eyes shifted nervously.

Serenity patted her bed, inviting him to sit next to her, and he did so, albeit awkwardly. "What's wrong, Bakura?" she asked him.

He hung his head, shut his eyes tightly, and spoke with guilt: "It's _my_ fault that you're here."

"What?" Serenity asked, bewildered.

Ryou opened his eyes, but did not raise head. Glancing over at her with a sense of inferiority and regret, he repeated, "It's all my fault."

Serenity felt sorry for the boy. "Why are you saying that, Bakura?"

"Because," he began, almost inaudibly. He then raised his hands and held them out to her.

Serenity stared down at the hands, which shook with a sort of insane anxiety. She was unable to understand.

"My hands," he said, pushing them a few inches closer to her. "They were..."

She waited, watching the quivering hands.

"They were..."

"Yes, Bakura?"

"_Covered with your blood!"_ he finally concluded, his voice ringing with hysteria.

Serenity's eyes widened. She jerked away from him, uncertain as to what his statement meant.

"I was there that day," Ryou explained further. "I was there. I bumped into those men—literally—and you fell into my arms. I had you, right there, in my arms. You were hurt. You were bleeding. My hands... My hands felt the blood, and I was afraid..."

She listened and tried to make sense of the story.

"You were right there, and I didn't even recognize you. I just sat there, paralyzed, letting the blood drip in my hands. _Your_ blood. I could've stopped it. I could've prevented what happened."

Serenity leaned closer to Ryou. She took his face into her hands and raised it so that his eyes were level with hers. "Bakura," she said firmly, "it's okay."

"No," he insisted. "Even after I got up, I could've called for help, but I didn't. I waited. I waited till the meeting with Joey to tell anyone about it. I could've helped you. I could've saved you from everything those men did."

The boy's entire body was shaking now. Serenity moved her hands to his shoulders and pulled him close to her. "Shh," she hushed, forcing herself to be strong for him. "What's done is done. There's no use dwelling on it."

"But what about the trial?" Ryou wondered. "There wouldn't be any need for one if I'd done something. You wouldn't have to speak."

"The trial?" she asked.

"Yes, the trail," Ryou reiterated. "It will happen sooner than we'd like. You and I will have to speak against something that shouldn't have happened in the first place."

Realizing this fact instilled fear in her. She had not considered the possibility of a trial. It could only mean that she would be forced to tell multiple people about her experience.

Ryou continued worriedly, "I've even heard that they're thinking about arresting Kaiba. Imagine how difficult that could make it."

Her heart raced. She could indeed imagine it, and the thought was terrifying.

"It's just a rumor right now," he added, "but it certainly doesn't help much. The whole thing is a mess, and it's all my fault."

Serenity nodded, but her own body began to shake as well. The two teens then leaned against each other, supporting one another other, quietly shaking and sobbing.

* * *

Talking to Nagano was excruciating.

"Several sources claim that your role in this case is ambiguous, if not suspicious," Nagano explained. "I can't let those hypotheses go untested." With a threatening air about him, he leaned forward in his chair and ordered, "I want you to recount the events of that day for me, and I want every last detail."

No page was left unturned in the story of Seto and Serenity. The persistent detective asked question after question about that awful day, as well as about Kaiba's relationship with Serenity. Nagano wanted juicy details and hard facts, and Kaiba gave them. The businessman was adept at maintaining external control and stability, yet the verbalization forced him to remember every grotesque detail, from the blood, to the gunshots, to the emotions that flowed through him. Inside, Kaiba suffered.

After Nagano departed, nothing was accomplished at Kaiba Corporation. The CEO spent the time thinking of Serenity and reliving his memories. When the workday finally ended, Kaiba left his sumptuous building via a back- and often forgotten- exit. No newspersons or detectives were lying in wait for him there... He sighed with relief.

Briefcase in hand, Kaiba wandered in a rather roundabout, almost aimless course toward his mansion. He did not want his route to be predictable, lest the media or authorities confront him yet again. As he walked, he thought not only of Serenity, but of Joey Wheeler and Mai Valentine. Images of the couple hung as vivid paintings in his memory; depictions of _love._ A deep, relapsing part of him related the scenes to himself and Serenity.

Eventually, the unguided steps led him to a familiar setting...

The park.

It loomed before him, its wide, open entrance beckoning to him. Quite wistful, he stared at it and felt the autumn scenery tug at his unmoving body. A cool breeze swept over him and pushed him inches closer to the yellow, orange, and red terrain. The temptation was too strong and too natural to resist.

Kaiba walked into the park and observed his surroundings. The moment was entirely surreal and reflective and weighed heavily upon his heart. At last he came to the Sakura tree under which he and Serenity sat as they discovered Mokuba's sordid, but admittedly adorable plot, and Kaiba's stomach lurched with the bitterness of the many disquieting memories.

The recollections sickened him, not because they were revolting, but because they were, in fact, fond and pleasant. They were things of the past, like Serenity herself. Memories: distant, dissipated, and irrelevant.

Kaiba slowly lowered himself to sit under the tree. Leaning against its slender trunk, he closed his eyes and attempted to ward off the sickness. The environment intended other things, however:

"_Have you ever watched the sun rise?" asked the voice of Serenity. "It's absolutely magical. It's like watching an artist create a masterpiece. The sun paints the sky, blending together the prettiest colors, slowly bringing light to the new day... A sunset is the same way; a different process, but equally masterful."_

His eyes fluttered open and wandered to the skyline ahead of him. The sun was setting and the sky was giving way to gold and purple tints. Kaiba watched the phenomenon for quite some time, but no avail.

"I can't see it," he muttered to himself finally. "I can't feel it."

He sat in silence then, digesting the notions of apathy. Still sickened. Still empty.


	15. Chapter 15: Confrontation

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.

**Chapter 15: Confrontation**

Days passed.

On this particular afternoon, the sky was blue and speckled with clouds... but so was her mood. And while those qualities constituted beauty within the heavens, they meant only troubled heartache for Serenity Wheeler. Her inner, emotive workings were ever distraught. Hope had not yet come.

She watched as the clouds rolled slowly by and she reflected on the time that had passed since the kidnapping, sexual assault, and attempted murder. She had been released from the hospital. That fact was a blessing, and yet it did not provide the assuagement that she had predicted it would. Hope was a ray a light that she simply could not touch.

"Hey, Serenity."

The voice belonged to Tristan Taylor. She looked over her shoulder and saw him there, smiling kindly at her. Duke Devlin was there, too, hobbling on crutches. Seeing him, she remembered how she and he tried so hard to instill optimism in one another. The strategy worked for him, but in the days that followed, she was left waiting for results that still eluded her today.

She replied flatly, "Hello, Tristan. Hello, Duke."

"We've been looking for you," Duke informed her. "We stopped by your house and your mother told us that you might be here, so..."

"Hmm."

The two boys seated themselves next to her. Tristan began, "Duke and I wanted to see you, because we noticed that you've been really unhappy ever since—" –he fumbled for the best word to describe the unknown issue— "—_everything_."

"Yeah, what happened to not giving up?" Duke wondered. "You promised me that you wouldn't."

"I haven't given up," Serenity insisted, though she secretly doubted her own answer. "I just can't seem to sort anything out."

"Well," Duke began assertively, but with good intentions, "how can anyone help you if you don't talk about it?"

A certain blonde-haired man came to her consciousness—a man who drew her in deceitfully with his falsely kind, emerald eyes. His honey hair was full and feathery: soft, like the rest of his features. Even the body with which he nearly took her was seemingly gentle in nature: lean, with hints of muscle, but not strong or intimidating. Such an image was not one that she could forget, despite any and all efforts.

The girl spoke softly, "I _can't_ talk about it."

"But you'll have to soon," Tristan warned her. "The trial is coming up and we're all expected to speak."

"Tristan's right," Duke acknowledged. "You can't keep the story bottled up forever. If you want to give those guys the punishment that they deserve, you'll have to speak out against them. Besides, talking about it will be good for you. You don't have to bear the pain alone, Serenity."

Serenity looked at him. "Oh, Duke," she said, holding back tears.

"You can tell us, Serenity," Duke compassionately offered.

She struggled to prevent the tears from falling. "I know that I can trust both of you, and I know that you care, but I just can't talk about it. I'm afraid."

Duke, despite his feelings for the girl, grew frustrated. "If you're afraid to tell _us,_ then how do you expect to speak before a judge and jury?"

"I don't know..."

"It's okay, Serenity. You don't have to tell us now," Tristan comforted, shooting a defensive glare at Duke in the meantime.

The girl's train of thought then shifted to the other struggles that existed in her internal world. "What happened to me isn't the entire problem," she admitted. She paused, looking to each of her friends. She bit her bottom lip and worriedly continued, "It's Seto."

The boys questioned in unison, _"Kaiba?"_

"Yes."

Tristan asked, "What about him?"

"I can't speak against _him._ I can't stand up there with him watching me, listening to me talk about all the things he caused. I never wanted to believe that he hired those guys to do those things, but—"

Duke interrupted, "He didn't."

Serenity turned to him, puzzled. "What?" she asked. "I heard that the police were going to arrest him for it."

"Oh, they were thinking about it," Duke clarified, "but you obviously haven't been keeping up with the story."

"Yeah, it was on the news just yesterday. The police officially declared that Kaiba's off the hook," Tristan further explained. "He apparently went through some rough questioning, but, in the end, the police decided that the whole case was just blown out of proportion by the media."

Duke concluded simply, "Kaiba's innocent, Serenity."

"But Joey himself told me that it was all Seto's doing," Serenity insisted. "He was adamant about it and said that I should stay away from Seto. I trusted my big brother. I didn't think he would lie to me."

The boys exchanged nervous glances, unsure of how to respond.

Serenity took a moment to watch the sky in silence. At last, she said, "Could you two please talk to Joey for me?"

"About Kaiba?" Tristan assumed.

She nodded.

"Sure, we can do that for you," Tristan assured her. He turned to his friend. "Right, Duke?"

Duke agreed, "Right."

"Great. We'll do it right now. You stay here, Serenity, and we'll be back in a little while," Tristan told her.

Before leaving, Duke placed a hand on Serenity's shoulder and questioned, "Will you be okay?"

She managed a small smile and replied quietly, "Yes."

With that, the two boys embarked on their mission. Serenity lay on her back then. The clouds continued to roll by as fluffy, white wisps of dreams.

* * *

Joey Wheeler met the intense gazes of his friends with an expression of bewilderment.

"Eh... Why are you lookin' at me like that?" he wondered worriedly.

Tristan and Duke, who sat before him with folded arms and stern faces, simply glared.

The blonde frowned and inquired, "What's goin' on? What did I do now?"

"You've caused a lot of trouble," Tristan accused bitterly.

Joey, confounded, cocked his head and repeated, "Trouble?"

Duke rolled his eyes in annoyance. "You're so clueless," he groaned.

"Hey," Joey whined childishly, "be nice to me. I'm still recovering from the beating." He gestured to his face, which was decorated with fading bruises and stitches in the lower lip.

Duke leaned forward aggressively. "Be nice? You weren't nice to Serenity when she was in the hospital, and it's clear that whatever she went through was much worse than what happened in your petty street fight!"

"Huh? I was nice to her. And it wasn't a 'petty street fight.' Kaiba caught me off-guard—"

Duke interrupted, "Kaiba? You failed to mention that when you told us about it the first time."

Joey squirmed in his seat, growing more uncomfortable by the second. "Well, yeah, 'cause I didn't want ya to know. I didn't mean to let it slip; forget I mentioned it."

"It's actually really convenient that you brought Kaiba into the conversation. It just so happens that Duke and I are here to talk about what happened," Tristan clarified.

"When did you guys decide to take interest in that?" Joey asked in an attempt to delay answering the questions. "You're both actin' really weird today."

"We just talked to Serenity," Tristan explained. "She was still under the impression that Kaiba planned the crime. She was completely unaware that he was proved innocent. Do you know why? Because her dear, big brother was so certain that Kaiba was guilty."

Joey defended himself, "Yeah, I _was_ certain… at the time."

"That girl believes anything you tell her. Don't you realize that?" Duke snapped. "You're her brother. She looks up to you."

"That was the point though," Joey asserted. "I was just tryin' to protect her."

"From what? The _evil_ Seto Kaiba?" Duke mocked. "That's bullshit. You just don't want anything to happen between them."

Tristan turned to Duke, surprised by the boy's attitude. "What are you saying?"

"It's obvious. Serenity and Kaiba," Duke continued. "I don't like it and I don't want it, but I could hear it in her voice today." He suddenly quieted and looked to Tristan. "Couldn't you?"

Tristan hung his head and sighed, "Yeah, I guess you're right."

"I don't approve of that," Joey grumbled. "I preferred the good ole days when you two were her only problems. Serenity and Kaiba…" His voice trailed off as he pictured the couple in his head. He grimaced, then shook his head. "No. I won't have it."

"At least admit to Serenity that you lied to her," Tristan urged.

"I didn't lie," Joey insisted. "At first I honestly thought that it was all a grand scheme of Kaiba's. I swore that he was trying to hurt me by attacking my sister. I believed it."

"Now what do you believe?" Tristan asked.

"I don't know. Kaiba and I will never get along. He's an egotistical asshole, and my face and lip serve as evidence of that. Besides, he's rich and can get away with anything he wants."

"But Kaiba's not a killer," Duke curtly stated, "and you know that."

Joey let out a heavy, exasperated sigh. "It made so much sense in my head..."

Tristan reached over and patted his friend on the shoulder. "It's alright, Joey. Everybody makes mistakes. Just go talk to her and set things straight. She'll forgive you."

"But I don't want her and Kaiba to get together," Joey protested. "It's my worst nightmare."

"Maybe it won't actually come to that," Tristan told him hopefully. "Just keep your fingers crossed."

Joey then stood up and groaned, "Wish me luck."

The two boys accepted this response and pointed their friend in the right direction, hoping that the conversation between the Wheeler siblings would yield positive results for all.

* * *

From a distance, he saw her there, staring up at the sky with heartache written on her face. The sight caused him pain as well, for what was the point of granting the once blind girl sight if she was fated to look at the world that way? He missed the cheerful sister that she was before the problems arose- the sister whose naivety led her to rarely grow discouraged. She was not meant to live as she was now.

Joey's eyes fell guiltily to the grass beneath him. Had he failed as her brother and protector? He swallowed hard, hesitant to face the moments that lay ahead. Mindlessly eyeing the green blades, he became suddenly aware of the sweat on his palms and the rapid beating of his heart.

He glanced up again and the girl took notice of his presence. Her hazel eyes did not brighten as she waved to him and whispered to herself, "Big brother."

Slowly, Joey approached her and smiled wearily as he sat beside her and greeted, "Hey, sis."

Serenity gave her brother a quick squeeze and remarked, "Your face looks better. The cuts and bruises are healing."

"Thanks," Joey muttered, patting her passively on the shoulder.

"You never really explained to me how that happened," the little sister recalled.

"I know," Joey acknowledged, "but you don't need to be worryin' about me when you've got your own troubles. Tristan and Duke told me what's on your mind."

Serenity looked to him expectantly, but did not speak.

"Ya wanna know about Kaiba," Joey began nervously.

She nodded and said quietly, "Yes."

Joey inhaled deeply and cleared his throat. "From what I've heard, the police did some pretty serious investigation stuff, but that's all over now. They figured there wasn't enough evidence to arrest him."

The hazel eyes, desperately wishing to trust the boy before them, lingered on the blonde's face. "Do you think that Seto just covered up his tracks? Or that he offered the police so much money that—"

"No, Serenity," Joey interrupted. "I think they're right. Kaiba's not guilty of anything."

Little water droplets formed in the girl's eyes. "But you said…"

The older Wheeler pulled his baby sister close to him. "I know what I said," he reluctantly admitted as he hugged her. "I guess I just got caught up in the moment. You nearly died, Serenity, and I didn't wanna see you get hurt again. I was afraid I'd lose you."

She laid her head on his shoulder and allowed the tears to glide down her cheeks.

"But I didn't lie," Joey went on. "You know that, don't ya? I really did believe my own words for a while. I just wanted to keep ya safe from somethin' that I thought was dangerous."

Serenity merely replied with a soft whimper.

Joey then placed his hand on the girl's head and began to pet her reddish hair. "Please don't cry. If anything, you should be happy. Ya don't have to be afraid of Kaiba anymore."

"I knew that he was innocent," Serenity sobbed. "Deep down, I always knew."

His stomach lurched with pangs of guilt. "I'm sorry, Serenity," he apologized wholeheartedly.

She lifted her teary eyes and questioned hopefully, "Do you think he still likes me?"

His stomach lurched again, though this time with physical sickness at the thought of Seto Kaiba having feelings for his little sister. Joey had certainly not forgotten those moments at the Kaiba mansion, when he held the multimillionaire in his vengeful grasp. The choking voice rang out with more passion than Joey thought possible:

"_I like her. Actually, it's more than that. Hell, I may even love her!"_

He refused to tell Serenity about that, though. It would only perpetuate the thing that he dreaded most. On the other hand, he could give her a radically different quote from Kaiba that would ensure that she quickly abandoned her interest:

"_I realized that, when this case is finished, I don't want anything to do with your pathetic puppy of a sister."_

But that would only hurt her more. Undecided, Joey juggled the two statements in his head, struggling against morality and his own personal wishes. "I dunno," he answered tentatively.

"He probably despises me," Serenity tearfully lamented.

"Shhh," Joey hushed. "Don't worry about it, sis. Ya have to focus on _you_ right now. Just wait till the trial's over, then see what happens."

His baby sister raised her head and looked at him. In the watery eyes, he saw that she was still innocent and impressionable…

"Okay, big brother."


	16. Chapter 16: Trials and Hopes

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.

**Chapter 16: Trials and Hopes**

Time elapsed, and soon, it was the day for justice and truth.

On this afternoon, the courtroom was so very, very still. A pair of empty, blue eyes followed the body of a scared girl as she slowly made her way to the witness stand. Others had taken the spotlight before her, but their testimonies offered no new information. The blue eyes remained intently locked on the girl as she swore to honesty and took her seat.

This was the telltale moment that Seto Kaiba had been waiting for.

The girl's own eyes shifted from the judge, to the jury, and to the observers. It was then that she felt Seto's intense stare. Her eyes met his, and the two of them held the contact for a moment.

The sapphires were dull, just as she remembered them, and they were accompanied by a very serious, almost angry facial expression. Yet, in stark contrast, a powerful feeling somehow emitted from the eyes' lackluster hue. It was, at first, intimidating for Serenity, but as the seconds lingered, the boy's thoughts swept over her with astounding clarity.

Kaiba wanted—more than anything—the answers to his questions. Truly, he did not know what she had been through. He could not possibly fathom the experience, but he yearned to understand it. In the deep recesses of his heart, it seemed that he sincerely cared for her and her circumstances; he was innocent indeed. Why she had doubted him, thrown flowers in his face, and evaded him now felt very unclear.

Serenity suddenly jerked her attention away as she was prompted to speak by the interrogator. Thus began the horrid process that she so severely dreaded. The questions were simple at first, answered with yes's and no's, but those moments were brief. Serenity very quickly found herself delving into the depths of her own tale.

Storytelling came rather naturally at first as she recited matter-of-factly the circumstances of her capture and her initial interactions with the three accused men. She then spoke of taking some medicine that Roger Wills provided to her and that caused her to fall asleep, but she stopped at this point.

In that instant, she became suddenly aware of Roger's presence in the room. He stared up at her with what almost seemed like enthusiasm. His vivid, green eyes glimmered with an apparent excitement to hear her recollection of the steamy moment. The young man's heart burned with perverse curiosity, as if he expected some sort of comment about the spark that he had attempted to ignite.

Such a look in his eyes nearly caused Serenity to vomit; it was so sickening. Since that awful day, she had juggled notions that there existed some goodness in Roger's heart, but, even if there was truth in that, the animal inside seemed to dominate the man. He was just as guilty, if not more so, than the others.

The lawyer called to her again, asking her to resume the story. Serenity nodded, though she felt extremely nauseated, knowing that Roger would savor every moment of her recollection of their "romance." She swallowed hard and searched the courtroom for something on which to fix her gaze; something to comfort her as she forced herself through the dreadful memory.

Somehow, it seemed only natural to look toward Seto. It was on him that she focused as she revealed every bit of the harassment that she had endured. She spoke through stutters and tears, but the truth that she had held inside for so long was finally uttered.

Several faces in the crowd took on expressions of disgust and disbelief, others cried for the girl, but Kaiba's expression did not falter. He remained serious and tough. For this fact, Serenity was thankful. She continued to play off of his strength and lack of visible emotion as she marched onward with the story. She ended the tale with a description of her motionless moments in Kaiba's arms, remembering how she listened to his voice just before she lost consciousness.

Finally she stepped down from the witness stand. Soon afterward a verdict was reached: the surmounting evidence against Ryuu, Takeshi, and Roger led the men to be found none other than guilty, and they were thus sentenced to several years in prison.

Truly, it was a day of victory for Serenity Wheeler. Her story was finally told, the evildoers received their just desserts, and she knew in her heart that Kaiba was innocent. She stepped out of the courthouse feeling free and rejuvenated, ready to let go of the past.

Outside, however, there waited an ocean of eager reporters, ready to interrupt her moment of rejoice. Serenity was stunned by the flashes that immediately blinded her, and she was also pelted by a wave of loud questions:

"Miss Wheeler, how do you feel about the conviction?"

"How has this awful experience affected your life?"

"Now that the trial is over, what will be the status of your relationship with Mr. Kaiba?"

Serenity's naturally quiet and courteous demeanor prevented her from breaking through the crowd, though she noticed her brother and friends pushing themselves boldly forward. Overwhelmed and uncertain, she took a timid step backward.

Suddenly, she felt a tug on her arm and heard a powerful, yet somber voice command, "Come on, Serenity." The force dragged her confidently through the crowd, disregarding all of the flashes and voices. When the ocean of people was behind her, Serenity noticed that she was being pulled toward a conveniently-placed limousine, into which she was soon gently shoved.

Seto Kaiba climbed in next to her. "Get us out of here," he coolly ordered the chauffer.

Serenity looked over at him and said gratefully, "Thank you, Seto."

He nodded in acknowledgement of her statement, but did not say a word. In fact, he geared his body toward the window and stared at the road in silence.

Serenity continued to watch his face, and she smiled to herself. "You always protect me," she realized.

He looked over at her without expression. "Hmm?"

"When I was running in the rain, you pulled me under the overhang. When I was scared of the storm, you held me. When those men took me, you came to rescue me. And just now, you helped me through that crowd."

Kaiba pursed his lips and shifted his eyes back toward the window. "Oh."

She scooted closer to the boy and lowered her voice, "Seto, you're a good person. I know that now."

The businessman did not respond, keeping his eyes on the scenery that whizzed by with the car's movement.

Serenity inched even nearer to him, then laid her head on his shoulder and sighed happily, "I feel safe whenever you're around."

Out of the corner of his eye, Kaiba glanced down at her young, contented face. "Serenity," he said simply, shaking his head as he uttered the name. He then reached his hands over and softly pushed her away.

The girl looked up at him and whispered confusedly, "No?"

He found himself unable to meet her eyes as he echoed, "No."

"Seto," she began quietly, "I'm sorry for what I did and said when you came to see me at the hospital that day. I'm sorry for ever thinking... um..."

"That it was my fault?" Kaiba finished the sentence.

"Yes."

Still not looking directly at the girl, he mumbled, almost more to himself than to her, "Well, based on your story, it seems like you weren't completely wrong about that."

Serenity brought a hand up to his face and brushed his cheek. "Seto," she said simply and sweetly.

Just as Kaiba raised his eyes to meet hers, the limousine stopped. "We're here," he noted with a hint of pain in his voice.

Serenity turned her head to look out the window, seeing her own apartment. Looking back to Seto, she told him, "I don't have to leave you now, if you don't want me to."

He took a deep breath and sighed, "No. Go. I want you to."

She frowned then, unable to understand the boy. "You want me to leave?"

With toughness that was obviously forced, he maintained, "Yes. Get out of the car."

"Why, Seto?"

His eyes dropped again as he muttered quietly, "I just can't do this right now."

With a heavy heart, she climbed out of the limousine, but before shutting the door behind her, she turned to the boy one last time, saying, "I'm so sorry, Seto."

His reply was simply "Goodbye."

* * *

The next day, Serenity slowly approached the door of the Kaiba mansion and knocked on it cautiously. Mokuba Kaiba answered the door.

"Serenity!" he exclaimed excitedly, throwing his arms around her in a hug. "It's so good to see you! How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine," Serenity smiled. "I feel so much better now that the trial is over, so I thought I'd drop in to see Seto, if he doesn't mind."

"I was hoping that you would come for him," Mokuba smirked. "He started acting weird yesterday afternoon. After the trial, he went to Kaiba Corp. and worked there late into the night. Then he came home, got a couple of hours of sleep, and woke up again to go straight to the home office and resume work there. He hasn't even spoken to me, really."

"Oh, that's odd," Serenity realized.

"Anyway, come in and have a seat," the little Kaiba offered. "I'll go get Seto." With that, Mokuba rushed away to another part of the mansion.

Mokuba knocked on the door to the home office and called cheerily, "Big brother!"

"Come in," came the rather grumbly voice of the older Kaiba brother.

Mokuba bounced in excitedly. Seto looked to him with a stern expression on his face and asked, "What is it, Mokuba?"

"Serenity is here to see you!" Mokuba proudly announced.

Kaiba stared blankly back at the kid. He raised his hands to his face and seemed contemplative for a moment, only to turn back to his computer and begin typing. "I don't want to see her," he muttered.

Shocked, Mokuba asked, "Why not?"

Kaiba did not reply, but merely continued working.

"Seto," Mokuba spoke seriously, "you really should talk to her. She probably has a lot to say about the trial, and you, and-"

Kaiba suddenly whipped around and harshly snapped, "Do you want me to finish this project or not?"

"Of course, Seto, I just-"

"Then leave me alone and let me work!"

Mokuba pleaded, "But what about Serenity?"

Kaiba began loudly and angrily, "Tell her to go home!" But then he closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and added, "And tell her... I'm sorry, too."

Mokuba nodded in understanding and scurried off to speak with Serenity.

Seto, meanwhile, shook his head and resumed his feverish work.

After hearing the news from Mokuba, Serenity was saddened. "I really don't understand him," she commented.

Mokuba shrugged. "Well, ya know, an apology from Seto is a pretty rare thing. That's something good to think about, right?"

Serenity smiled and gave the kid a quick squeeze. "You're right," she happily acknowledged. "I'll just try again tomorrow and see if he feels like talking then."

Mokuba looked up at the girl and asked bluntly, "You really like him, don't you?"

A blush warmed Serenity's cheeks. "Oh, Mokuba, it's more complicated than that," she said, avoiding a direct answer. "We have so much to sort out. I don't know if we can ever make things right again, but…" She paused, smiling to herself, then continued, "I'd like to try."

Mokuba grinned. "See ya tomorrow then," he said eagerly.

The blush refused to fade as Serenity remarked, "Yes, I'll see you tomorrow, and Seto, too, I hope."


	17. Chapter 17: Something Genuine

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.

**Chapter 17: Something Genuine**

Serenity Wheeler visited the Kaiba mansion the next evening, only to receive word from Mokuba that Seto was at Kaiba Corporation, buried deep in his work and unwilling to take any phone calls.

In fact, she stopped by the following three days as well, experimenting with different times of the day. Once, she even went to the company itself, only to be told by a receptionist that Mr. Kaiba was not free to receive any guests.

On what was the fifth day in a row for these visits, Serenity was starting to grow discouraged, but she forced herself to the Kaiba mansion regardless. Mokuba came to the door that evening, just as expected.

"Any luck today?" Serenity wishfully asked.

"No," Mokuba answered. "To tell the truth, I'm as worried as you are. Even I haven't seen him for days." Despite this statement, the boy's eyes suddenly lit up as he mischievously added, "But I have a plan!"

"You and your little plans," Serenity chuckled. Then, with a wide grin spreading across her face, she wondered, "What is it this time?"

Mokuba grabbed the girl's hand and pulled her inside the mansion. "Well," he boastfully began, "it's simple, really. Seto's gotta come home sometime, right? He can't stay at Kaiba Corp. _all_ day."

Serenity smiled impishly. "What are you saying?"

"Seto's been working really late, but I'm sure he's been coming home for two or three hours of sleep. So, we may have to pull an all-nighter, but we're gonna stay up and wait for him tonight!" Mokuba declared.

"Don't you think that's a bit over the top?" Serenity questioned with surprise.

"Nah, it'll be great!" Mokuba excitedly assured her. "We'll make an event out of it! We can watch a movie, play video games, make snacks... Oh! Maybe we can even sneak through Seto's card collection and play Duel Monsters!"

Serenity had to laugh. "Sounds great, Mokuba," she said, giving him a quick hug. "Count me in."

* * *

Mai Valentine's violet eyes scanned her boyfriend's room carefully. As always, she saw the same old mess, with clothes, cards, books, video games, and other belongings scattered carelessly on the floor. "Joey," she sighed in annoyance, "you should really clean this place up. Don't you get tired of all your stuff just lying around like this?"

"Nope," answered Joey indifferently. "I happen to know exactly where everything is, so it ain't a problem."

"Well, it's a problem for me," Mai informed him. "I can't stand to look at this, and I feel like I can't even walk in here."

"Hmm," Joey said, taking a look around the room, "I guess we could clean it up a little."

"_We?"_ Mai scoffed. "Since when did this become my job? It's not my fault that your room ended up like this."

"Oh, c'mon, Mai. We both know I'd never get it done by myself, but with two people workin', it'll go quick." Then he turned to her and grinned. "I'll give ya a big kiss when it's all over, too."

"Pfft, I better get more than that," the woman mumbled under her breath.

Joey's face reddened. "Eh..."

"Gosh, you're such a kid, Joey," Mai laughed as she nudged him in the side. "Now come on. Let's get this over with so I can get my 'big kiss.'"

"Okay... Umm..." Joey began, with an even redder blush on his cheeks. "You start with those books over there-" –he gestured to a pile of books in one corner of the room- "-and I'll pick up and fold these clothes."

"Yes, sir!" Mai militaristically chimed. Then she headed over to the pile of books and began to dig through it. The books were all school-related and they overflowed with various handouts and writing assignments, many of which were months old and no longer of any importance. She sighed to herself again as she stuffed them into the garbage can. She then proceeded to place the books on a small shelf, organizing them by subject.

Having finished that task, she looked around the room for her next target. As her eyes glimpsed the dresser, she found something new that had not been there the last time she visited. Her deep, purple eyes turned suspiciously toward Joey as he folded the clothes. Convinced that he was not watching her, she neared the dresser.

The object of her attention was a popular gossip magazine. On the cover was a picture of Seto Kaiba as he fearlessly tugged Serenity Wheeler through a crowd of newspersons in front of the courthouse. The headline read, "The Truth about the Serenity Wheeler Case Revealed! Includes Exclusive Photos of Seto and Serenity! Is It True Love?"

She immediately turned to the main article and began to read. Fortunately, the information within the first few paragraphs was all factual; more or less a reproduction of the story that Serenity told during the trial. Next, the magazine presented another photograph of Kaiba helping Serenity through the crowd, as well as one of Kaiba pushing her into a limousine. Subsequent paragraphs speculated about the nature of Serenity and Kaiba's relationship.

Mai closed the magazine. "Joey," she called in a scolding voice. "What exactly is this?"

Joey finished folding a shirt, then walked over to Mai. "What is what now?" he playfully wondered. He peeked over her shoulder and, seeing the magazine, he frowned, "Oh, that."

"Well?"

Joey reached over and took the magazine from Mai's hands, explaining, "This is a reminder of what I have to prevent." His expression became much angrier as he proceeded to growl, "Look at him, draggin' her around like that; pushin' her into the limousine like she's nothin'. He can't have her. He wouldn't treat her right."

Mai suddenly grabbed her purse and began to rummage through it. After a moment, she pulled out her car keys. "Let's go, babe."

Joey tilted his head in confusion. "What? Go where? We're not even done cleanin'."

The woman ordered, "Just come with me."

The couple stepped out of Joey's apartment and hopped into Mai's convertible. As Joey fastened his seatbelt, he inquired, "Where are we goin', Mai?"

The buxom blonde started the car, saying, "Nowhere. Just for a drive."

Joey muttered perplexedly, "This is really spontaneous."

"Not really," Mai answered as she began to drive calmly down the street. "The air is cool, the stars are shining, and the wind is relaxing, right?"

Joey nodded.

"So that'll make it easy to talk," Mai went on.

Joey was growing nervous. "About what?"

Mai inhaled deeply, taking a brief moment to enjoy the night wind in her hair. "Joey," she then said very seriously, "did you watch Serenity when she was up there, telling her story?"

"Of course I watched her," Joey replied. "She was bawlin' her eyes out, and I wanted to stand up and kill the guilty bastards right then and there."

"But did you _really_ watch her?" Mai repeated.

"What are ya talkin' about, Mai?"

"When she was talking, her eyes didn't move," Mai explained. "They were fixed on one point in the room. It was like nothing else existed to her. Do you know what she was looking at?"

Joey shook his head.

"Kaiba."

When hearing the name, Joey's body tensed. "Oh yeah?" he asked. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Mai continued, "Well, I watched him, too. His face... It told nothing and everything at the same time. He looked really serious and cold like he always does, but his eyes... The poor kid was distraught."

Joey laughed. "Kaiba? Distraught? You gotta be kidding."

Mai shot a harsh glare at the boy beside her. "I'm completely serious," she informed him. "It reminded me a lot of the day that we saved her. When she was weak, she called out for him, and he cared for her. You saw how he acted that day, didn't you? Holding her and rocking her."

"Yeah, I saw it, and I wanted to throw up," Joey said.

"There was something genuine in that moment," Mai noted, "and there was something genuine in the way they looked at each other during the trial. I've never seen him like that before."

Joey folded his arms and turned his body away from Mai. "First Duke, and now you, too? You're talkin' crazy talk, Mai," he said through gritted teeth. "How can you say that after you witnessed firsthand what Kaiba did to me? You're talkin' about a guy who left your boyfriend with a bloody lip and some damn nasty bruises."

"I didn't like what he did back then, but now I'm starting to think that you deserved it!" Mai passionately asserted.

Joey turned his attention to her in surprise, his mouth agape. "Mai..."

"You need to stop being so childish and thickheaded, Joey Wheeler," she angrily addressed him, "because it's only going to cause Serenity more problems. Hell, Kaiba takes better care of her than you do."

"Okay, that's it!" Joey yelled. "Stop the car!"

The car came to a screeching halt on the side of the road. "So this is how you wanna act, Joey?" Mai asked him. "'Cause that's fine with me. I'd rather you walk home anyway."

"Well, I ain't gonna sit around and listen to all your Kaiba talk, that's for sure," Joey heatedly maintained. He then removed his seatbelt and climbed out of the convertible.

Seeing him alone, on the side of the road, Mai frowned and lowered her voice, "Look, Joey. I'm not saying that you have to _like_ what's happening, just that you need to stop fighting it and keep your mouth shut."

"Kaiba's all wrong for Serenity. He has no heart. He can't-"

"Can't what?" Mai interrupted. "Love?"

Joey shifted his eyes to the ground, refusing to respond.

"Somehow, I think you know, better than all of us, that that's not true," Mai perceived. "You know that he loves her. You're just afraid to let it happen."

The boy remained silent.

"Think about what we have, Joey," the woman sincerely reminded him. "People look down on us, too. They say that I'm too old for you, or that you just like me for my body. But that doesn't matter. What matters is that I love you, you love me, and we're happy." Mai paused to look up at the moonlit sky. "Kaiba may not be the ideal person for Serenity," she concluded, "but if they really love each other, it won't be so bad."

Joey turned his back to the car.

Mai offered kindly, "If you think about it on your stroll home, maybe I'll come over again tomorrow to help you finish cleaning up your room."

"I can do it myself," Joey snapped.

"That's not what you said earlier, but... fine. Have it your way, hon," Mai finished as she drove away.

* * *

4:30 A.M.

Seto Kaiba stood in the doorway of his office at Kaiba Corp., pausing for a moment to glance back at the orderly, but empty room. It had become all too familiar to him over the past few days, but he kept telling himself that it was worth it: he was getting more work done than ever before. He would soon finish the preparations for his big, upcoming project, and he would then proceed to the next phase.

Surely it was worth it.

He nodded his head as he turned off the light and closed the door behind him.

Still... he was tired and weak from the sheer amount of strenuous work hours, and his recent lack of sleep was only contributing to the costly toll on his body. During the walk home, Seto's steps were sluggish as his feet dragged slowly along the sidewalk. The briefcase in his hand felt incredibly heavy, requiring effort simply to carry at his side.

His mind was mostly numb, fixed on only two thoughts: one assuring himself that his efforts were worthwhile, the other concentrating on how wonderful it would feel to crawl into bed and fall asleep.

Thus the grand mansion came as a great relief for Kaiba when it entered his sight, but he quickly discovered that something was amiss when he noticed that some of the windows were glowing with yellow light.

"Did Mokuba forget to turn the lights off?" he wondered. "He can't possibly be awake at this hour."

Kaiba walked up to the large, impressive door and opened it slowly and carefully. Then, stepping inside, he quietly called, "Mokuba?"

There came no direct reply, but the sound of music rang from a room down the hall. Kaiba wandered to the room and entered it with brave curiosity.

The sight that beheld him was not at all what he expected. The television had been left on, proceeding to show an animated musical film. Duel Monsters cards were set out on a table in a methodical fashion, as if two people had been in the middle of a game, and, near the cards, there sat a couple of unfinished glasses of soda. A bag of popcorn lay opened and spilled on the floor.

The most astonishing spectacle of all, however, was that of two people on the couch, soundly asleep. Serenity Wheeler's body was in a sitting position, with her head lowered and her body hunched forward. Mokuba lay curled up in a ball, with his head in the girl's lap.

Kaiba was caught off-guard by the bizarre display, yet, as he continued to observe it, he could not help but find it rather cute. The scene warmed his mind and body a bit, temporarily pushing away the thoughts of work and sleep. Seto smiled faintly to himself, possessing an instinctive notion that this peculiar situation was yet another one of Mokuba's childish attempts at being a matchmaker.

The businessman's attention drifted exclusively to Serenity then. Her position did not seem to be the most comfortable or flattering one, yet she still looked very peaceful and innocent as she slept. Very quietly, Kaiba approached the couch and lingered in front of her, basking in the delicate moment.

"You're beautiful," he said after a few minutes, almost inaudibly, and he reached a hand forward to gingerly brush a strand of auburn hair away from the girl's face.

His eyes then roamed downward and settled on one of her pale, dainty arms. He carefully inspected the scarred gash that presently ran across it; one of several tokens she had received to forever remember her horrors. Kaiba placed two fingers onto the wound and ran them gently across it.

Serenity stirred, but did not awaken.

Kaiba glanced about the room suspiciously then, as if to ascertain that no one was watching or listening. Then, bending down to make his face level with the girl's, he guiltily murmured, "You'll never know how hard it was for me to hear what you had to go through. I won't let anyone hurt you again. Not even... me." With that, he leaned forward and kissed her forehead.

Next, he turned to Mokuba and ruffled the boy's hair. "Nice try, kid," he whispered teasingly, "but it looks like you didn't make it this time. I'll be gone again before you're up. Besides, I told you once already: now that the trial is over, everything needs to go back to the way it was before. We'll all be better off that way."

Kaiba backed away and took a few final minutes to indulge in the scenery one last time. He then turned off the television and lights and exited the room, leaving Serenity and Mokuba to a silent, uninterrupted slumber.

* * *

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_As always, thanks for reading, and please review!  
_


	18. Chapter 18: Ten Days

_Ah, another long passage of time between updates... but here is chapter 18 at last-the lengthiest chapter so far._

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* * *

_

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.

**Chapter 18: Ten Days**

9:27 A.M.

Golden sunlight poured through the window, and Serenity Wheeler's eyes fluttered drowsily open. Her body ached, and she was not immediately sure as to why. When she glanced at her surroundings, however, she realized that she was situated uncomfortably on a couch in the Kaiba mansion. Mokuba Kaiba's head lay in her lap, and the boy was snoring lightly. Serenity was puzzled at first by the circumstances, but her memories gradually flowed back to her.

She gently shook Mokuba and groggily asked him, "Hey, what time is it?"

Mokuba sat up slowly, yawned, then rubbed his eyes. "I dunno," he mumbled.

The girl looked around the room, paying closer attention to her surroundings. At last she discovered a clock on the wall. Noticing the time, her heart skipped a beat. "Mokuba," she cried in dismay, "it's almost nine thirty!"

"Nine thirty...?"

Serenity turned to face the younger Kaiba brother. "Yeah, I can't believe it," she said, flustered. "I guess I fell asleep. Did you catch Seto this morning?"

"No. I tried to watch the movie, but I was getting really tired by then," Mokuba sleepily recalled. "I looked up at the clock around three fifteen, and that's the last thing I remember."

"Do you think maybe he's here, asleep in his room?" Serenity wondered hopefully.

"I doubt it," Mokuba assumed pragmatically, "but I'll check." With that, he dragged himself off of the couch and went to search for Seto.

With a sigh, Serenity began to clean up the mess of popcorn and cards around her, though her mind could not remain on the task. All she could think about was how she had missed her chance at talking to intangible Seto. Now he seemed more distant than ever.

Mokuba's voice conveyed the inevitable: "He's not here."

In silence, the two friends finished cleaning up the room. Afterward, they turned to one another, but seemed unable to find any proper words.

"Well," Serenity uncomfortably began, "I guess... I should go."

Mokuba wondered uneasily, "What are you gonna do today?"

She shrugged, saying. "Homework, probably."

"On a Saturday?" Mokuba disbelievingly asked.

"Yeah... I don't really have anything else to do."

Mokuba broke eye contact then, looking at his feet.

Noticing the boy's reaction, Serenity took a step closer to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Mokuba," she said, "are you okay?"

He raised his head, revealing wide, pleading eyes. "Please don't leave me," he desperately begged. "Last night was fun, and... and... I don't wanna be alone anymore. Seto's been gone for days, and I've been here by myself. It's like he doesn't even care. I just-"

Serenity drew him close to her, hugging him tightly. "It's okay, Mokuba," she assured him in a motherly tone. "You can come and stay with me at my apartment."

Mokuba smiled up at her with tears forming in his eyes. "You're the best, Serenity."

* * *

Joey Wheeler thumbed through the magazine, possessively eyeing the photographs of his sister and Seto Kaiba. He traced a finger along the outline of Serenity's innocent-looking face as the words of Duke Devlin, Mai Valentine, and Kaiba himself swirled rapidly in his head.

"_It's obvious. Serenity and Kaiba," Duke admitted. "I don't like it and I don't want it, but I could hear it in her voice today."_

Joey then turned his attention to a picture of Kaiba as he grasped firmly onto Serenity's arm. His face was solemn- almost troubled- but the teen had a protective air about him as he pulled her through the intrusive crowd.

"_It reminded me a lot of the day that we saved her," Mai compared. "When she was weak, she called out for him, and he cared for her. You saw how he acted that day, didn't you? Holding her and rocking her... There was something genuine in that moment, and there was something genuine in the way they looked at each other during the trial._

_...Hell, Kaiba takes better care of her than you do... Somehow, I think you know, better than all of us, that he loves her. You're just afraid to let it happen."_

Gazing intently at the picture, even Joy had to admit that, with Kaiba leading the way, Serenity did seem safe.

"_I would never hurt Serenity," Kaiba passionately claimed._

With a heaving sigh, Joey closed the pages, walked over to the trash can, and let the magazine drop from his hands. Then he grabbed his cell phone and dialed Mai's number. When the woman answered the phone, Joey wasted no time in getting to the point:

"Mai, you're right. He loves her, she loves him, and there ain't a damn thing I can do about it."

"Well, hey there, babe. Glad you finally figured it out," Mai replied with a chuckle.

"I'm gonna stop fighting it, like you said," Joey went on, "and I'm gonna tell Serenity tonight. I sure as hell won't enjoy it, but-"

"Hey, Joey?" Mai interrupted.

"Huh?"

The woman's voice came sweetly and earnestly, "I love you."

Joey was caught off-guard. "Oh, uhh, I love you, too."

"I'm really proud of you," Mai explained. "You're doing the right thing."

"Eh, thanks, Mai," responded the boy with a hint of uncertainty.

Changing the subject, Mai inquired, "Have you finished cleaning your room yet?"

"Err... Not exactly..."

"I figured as much. After you finish talking to Serenity, I'm coming over to help you clean up." It was a statement, not an offer.

Joey laughed, "Alright. See ya later."

* * *

The day faded into evening. At this hour, the sun was beginning to set and the sky was giving way to darker hues. Seto sat at the head of a long table, clearly upholding his position as the powerful President of Kaiba Corporation. He looked remarkably paler than normal, with visible, darkened bags under his eyes, but he stubbornly refused to let physical exhaustion overcome him. For this reason, he still seemed like himself, with his hands clasped together in front of his face in a pensive and businesslike manner.

"So, everything is settled," he addressed the employees and partners before him. "Despite the loss of three of our employees, a lot of progress has been made in the past few days. I believe that Kaiba Corporation is ready to proceed with this project. You all know what we, as a company, need to do to make it happen. Finish your final preparations and be ready to begin all necessary efforts in ten days."

The men nodded to him in understanding, but did not speak.

"This meeting is adjourned," Kaiba concluded. "You may all go home for the evening." Having made this statement, he stood up and headed toward the door.

One employee raised his voice, "What about you, Mr. Kaiba? Working after hours again?"

Kaiba rested his hand on the door knob and paused to think. "No," he decided, looking back at the man. "I'm going home to inform Mokuba of the good news."

* * *

A small dinging sound filled the air. Mokuba Kaiba hopped excitedly out of his chair and rushed over to the oven. "Yes!" he exclaimed. "They're finally done!"

Serenity followed behind him, then opened the oven and pulled out a sheet of freshly-baked chocolate chip cookies.

Mokuba watched and marveled, "Wow! They're perfect, Serenity! Let's eat them now!"

The girl giggled, saying, "Don't you want to let them cool a little?"

"No!" Mokuba firmly insisted. "Cookies are always best when you eat them right out of the oven. They're all warm and gooey."

"Go ahead then," Serenity kindly permitted.

Mokuba quickly snatched two cookies from the baking sheet and gobbled them. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. The boy, with yet another cookie in his mouth, sputtered, barely understandably, "Who could that be?"

Serenity answered the door.

"Hiya, sis," came the smug voice of her big brother. "What's up?" The delicious smell of the fresh cookies then hit his nose. Joey curiously sniffed the air and asked, "Do I smell chocolate chip cookies? Ya saved some for me, right?"

"Sure!" Serenity said with a smile. "Come on in!"

"Alright," Joey said, entering the apartment with a grin. He stopped abruptly, however, when he caught sight of Mokuba. "Uh, hi, Mokuba," he muttered, bewildered. He then glanced over to Serenity and brashly inquired, "What's he doin' here?"

Serenity turned to Mokuba, noticing that he had become visibly uncomfortable, as if he did not wish to disclose much information to Joey. This sentiment was one that Serenity could understand, but she also did not want to lie, so she replied, "Mokuba came here because he was lonely, so we ended up baking cookies and hanging out together. It's been a good day, hasn't it, Mokuba?"

"Yeah," Mokuba answered warily.

"That's cool, I guess," Joey said, still confounded by the circumstances.

The three of them all quieted then, creating an atmosphere of awkwardness. After a while, Serenity broke the silence: "So, Joey, what brings you here this evening?"

"I gotta talk to you, Serenity," Joey explained, though he threw a contentious glance at Mokuba. "It's important..." He paused, continued to eye Mokuba for a moment, then added, "...and private."

The little Kaiba brother rolled his eyes and sighed in annoyance. "Fine," he sorely conceded. "I know when I'm not wanted. I'll get out of here and let you two talk." He headed to the door.

"Mokuba," Serenity addressed him, frowning, "you don't have to go home. Just give us a few minutes and-"

"No, I need to go," the boy insisted. "It's starting to get dark anyway, and it's a long walk home."

"Well, go if you must," Serenity sadly allowed, "but make sure to take some cookies with you."

Mokuba grinned back at the girl. "Thanks, Serenity," he said gratefully as he grabbed a few cookies. He then said goodbye and left the Wheeler siblings to themselves.

Serenity turned angrily toward her brother and skeptically raised an eyebrow. "What's this all about, Joey?"

The blonde boy seated himself at the kitchen table. "Listen, sis," he began rather gloomily, "I've been thinkin' a lot lately."

Her irritated expression softened as she sat across from him. "About what?"

Joey answered gravely, "You."

"Me?" she curiously inquired.

Joey leaned forward slightly and looked directly into Serenity's innocent, hazel eyes. "You're my little sister, Serenity," he stated very seriously. "I do what I can to protect you. I always have. I always will. And I love you. Ya know that, right?"

Serenity smiled kindly at him. "Of course."

"That's why it bothers me so much to see you with Kaiba. I just don't wanna see you get hurt, and it seems like you've had nothin' but trouble ever since you got mixed up with him. The things you had to go through..."

Joey's voice trailed off and he temporarily looked away and sighed. He regained composure quickly, though, looking into his sister's eyes again and resuming the speech: "I just want you to be happy and safe. That's what I've been thinkin' about. The truth is that I spent so much time tryin' to prevent problems that I ended up makin' 'em instead. I'm sorry, Serenity."

Serenity reached over and lovingly took her big brother's hand. "Thank you, Joey. That means a lot to me."

"Now, about Kaiba," Joey continued. "He ain't exactly a friendly guy. In fact, he's downright cold to most people, but I've been thinkin' about that, too."

"What about it?" Serenity wondered.

"There's one thing you gotta know." Joey inhaled deeply and tightly squeezed his baby sister's hand. With difficulty, he forced himself to speak the words, "He loves you, Serenity."

The girl's entire face lit up with a deep, red hue. "W-what?" she stuttered disbelievingly.

Joey found her reaction to be disgusting- that Kaiba could make his little sister blush in that way was simply revolting- but he feigned a soft chuckle. "Hard to believe, ain't it?"

His baby sister nodded, then questioned very timidly, "How can you be so sure?"

"Eh... it's..." He stopped to take another deep breath, then continued, "It's just obvious. He ain't the same around you. He's different—less of a jerk than normal."

"Oh, yes, I suppose that's true," Serenity acknowledged, bringing her hands up to her face to mask the brightening of her rosy cheeks.

"But, most importantly," Joey continued with hesitance in his voice, "he told me so himself."

Serenity's eyes widened with shock. "When did he say that?"

Joey frowned and broke eye contact. "It was the day after we rescued you. I was still really mad about everything that happened. I refused to believe that those Kaiba Corp. idiots were the ones responsible, so I went to talk to Kaiba about my suspicions. The discussion was... err... heated, but eventually he argued that he could never hurt ya 'cause he loved ya. I couldn't believe it. I thought it was a ploy to take the target off his back."

Joey looked up to meet her eyes, which had become wet with tears. The way that she looked back at him made it clear that the truth of his own actions had finally registered in her mind. The moment was still and somber, and Joey silently mouthed, "I'm sorry."

Serenity let out a soft whimper.

"Serenity," Joey said, reaching across the table to wipe a tear from Serenity's cheek, "I know I messed up. It was wrong of me to hide that from ya. I know it means nothin' to ya now 'cause I keep sayin' it, but I was just tryin' to keep ya safe and happy. That's exactly why I'm here now, though. I finally realized that Kaiba wants the same thing as I do- to keep ya safe and happy. He loves you."

"Joey," the girl sobbed with pleading eyes, "will you... will you bring me a cookie?"

The older brother chuckled to himself. "Sure thing, Serenity," he said as he stood up, grabbed a handful of cookies, and placed them in the middle of the table. Grinning, he added, "Nothin' does the trick better than fresh chocolate chip cookies, eh, sis?"

Serenity nodded and bit into a cookie. The topic of conversation turned then to casual matters of lighter note, though the girl's mind remained preoccupied the entire time...

* * *

Mokuba Kaiba reasoned that there was no point in going straight home that evening, since Seto surely would not be there. He thus walked along an unnecessarily long and inane route, though he made sure to stop Kaiba Corporation for a moment. He stared up at the building with feelings of melancholy, dwelling on the fact that he most likely would return to an empty mansion while his brother toiled endlessly toward a far-off goal.

At that moment, Mokuba realized that the skyscraper was completely black, without a single glow grazing its windows. "Nobody's there?" he muttered to himself, puzzled. Then, a sudden hope rushed over him, and he whispered excitedly, "That must mean..." He broke into a run then, hurrying back to the Kaiba mansion as fast as his little legs could carry him.

When he reached his home, he noticed that, unlike the business building, it was not dark and lifeless-looking; rather, a handful of lights brightened the mansion. Mokuba grinned to himself and dashed in. Much to his delight, he found Seto sitting in an armchair with one hand rested broodingly on his face-an expression so commonly characteristic that Mokuba did not initially fret over it. "Big brother! You're home!" he joyfully cried, hurrying toward Seto.

Kaiba, unstirred by Mokuba's emotion, looked up a stern, suspicious expression. "Where have you been?" he harshly inquired.

Mokuba stopped in his tracks, suddenly intimidated and taken aback by Seto's attitude.

The older Kaiba brother expectantly raised an eyebrow. "Well?"

Mokuba took a defensive step backward. "Seto," he muttered softly, "aren't you...?"

Kaiba stared back intently, but did not respond.

"Aren't you happy to see me?" Mokuba fervidly blurted. "You haven't talked to me in days and all you can say is 'Where have you been?' All you do is work now! You're never home anymore, so why should I be?"

Kaiba, as tough as ever, replied stoically: "I was worried about you."

The words, though simple and monotonal, resonated deeply in the boy's heart. Lowering his voice, Mokuba questioned, "You were worried about me?"

Kaiba answered, "Of course I was. I came home early today so I could talk to you, and when I came home to find that you weren't here..." His voice trailed off with subtle hints of disappointment and concern.

Mokuba silently studied his brother's face for a moment. Seto was pallid and sickly, and he tried to hide his weakness by wearing the ever-businesslike mask, but, in spite of this outward appearance, his icy, blue eyes revealed something deeper inside of him.

Tears formed in the boy's eyes as he rushed over to Seto. He threw his arms around his big brother in a hug, and proclaimed with hysteria, "I've missed you, Seto!"

Without a word, Kaiba raised a hand a patted Mokuba on the shoulder. The two brothers were quiet for a few moments as Mokuba continued to squeeze Seto tightly.

Seto, in light his younger brother's mood, decided to forego the discussion of the boy's whereabouts. Instead, he turned to meet Mokuba's teary gaze and broke the silence, "I have good news for you."

"Good news?" Mokuba asked with a sniffle, watching as Seto's eyes lit up with enthusiasm.

"Yes. I'm ready to move on with Kaiba Corp.'s project," Kaiba explained with a faint smile. "It's finally time to make it happen."

The boy's wet eyes widened with surprise. "What?" he skeptically remarked. "But I thought you were months away from finishing the plans, especially with the slump that Kaiba Corp. went through-"

"What did you assume I was working so hard on?" Kaiba proudly smirked.

Still shocked, Mokuba earnestly answered, "I don't know. I didn't think about it."

"Well, you better start thinking about it now," Kaiba keenly advised, "because you've only got ten days left before we take the next step."

Mokuba jumped up and worriedly exclaimed, "Ten days? That's all?"

The older brother chuckled to himself when seeing the boy's reaction. "Start thinking now," he teasingly repeated.

"But Seto!" Mokuba complained. "What about-"

Kaiba interrupted with another strict reminder: "Ten days."

Mokuba's heart raced with excitement, disbelief, and nervousness as he proceeded to quietly digest the information.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to bed," Kaiba concluded, at last giving in to his exhaustion. He trudged his pale, overworked body back to his bedroom, where he collapsed onto the bed and immediately fell into a deep, much-needed sleep.

* * *

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_As always, please leave a review!  
_


	19. Chapter 19: Earnest Emotion

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.

**Chapter 19: Earnest Emotion**

The face in the mirror crinkled up in determination.

"Today is a new day," Serenity boasted, staring back at her strong reflection. "I'm gonna march over there and find out where he is. Then I'm gonna talk to him, no matter what, and tell him I'm sorry, and..."

Amidst the determined face, a rosy blush began to form. Serenity's tense body loosened and she slouched a bit, mumbling to herself in a dejected manner, "...make things right."

The girl sighed. She did not know what to expect from the teen billionaire, Seto Kaiba. So much had transpired between them that nothing seemed certain or constant. The circumstances were always changing, the signals were always mixed, the doubt was always there.

Taking a deep breath, Serenity straightened up her posture. "Today is a new day," she repeated, though this time with hints of uncertainty. She turned her head to glance at a nearby clock. She swallowed hard and muttered, "Well, now is as good of a time as any."

She grabbed her coat and walked out of the small apartment. She then took a bus to the city and soon found herself standing before the great Kaiba mansion. Though she had seen it many times, the building looked particularly large and intimidating in this moment, looming over her as heavily as the fears in her heart.

Serenity anxiously knocked on the door. After a moment, it swung open in an surprisingly merry manner as Mokuba Kaiba warmly greeted, "Good afternoon, Serenity!"

She forced a smile, saying softly, "Hello, Mokuba."

Looking up at her expectantly, the boy inquired, "Are you here for Seto again?"

"I am," she answered quietly. "Is he... Is Seto actually here? Or... is he still working?"

Mokuba grinned. "Seto's here this time, believe it or not," he answered, "but there's just one little problem."

Her heart fearfully skipped a beat. "What's that?"

Mokuba noticed her reaction and chuckled to himself. Then he replied smugly, "He's asleep."

Serenity sighed with relief.

"But come on in anyway," Mokuba graciously invited. "I'm dying to know what you and Joey talked about last night." He paused, tilted his head in inquisitively, and asked, "Am I allowed to know?"

"Oh... um... I suppose I can tell you," Serenity timidly agreed.

"Great!" Mokuba cheerily chimed, grabbing the girl's hand and pulling her inside. He led her to the couch and plopped down next to her. "So, tell me everything," he demanded, grinning eagerly.

She let out a single laugh, saying, "You're so nosy."

The boy's grin only widened.

Serenity leaned back and looked up at the ceiling. "Joey's caused me a lot of trouble lately," she began.

"Yeah, I gathered that much," Mokuba acknowledged. "It was predictable, given that you've been hanging out with Seto."

She turned to look at him, almost as if surprised. "Predictable?"

Mokuba shrugged. "Well, I don't know all the details, but... yeah."

"Hmm."

"Anyway," Mokuba dismissed, "what did he say?"

"It was actually quite unexpected," Serenity said. "First, he apologized for making so many problems, and then he... well..." She paused then as her face began to flood with red hues. Breaking eye contact with Mokuba, she finished the sentence, "...gave me permission to date Seto."

Mokuba inquired disbelievingly, "Really?"

"Joey didn't exactly put it that way, but that's what he meant." Serenity looked up to meet Mokuba's eyes again, wanting to gauge his reaction.

The boy was smiling, with gray eyes lit up in bright excitement. "And you _want_ to date Seto, don't you?"

Confronted with the blunt question, she found herself even more embarrassed. She quietly responded, "I... I wouldn't be here if I didn't."

"I knew it!" Mokuba beamed, leaping forward to clutch her tightly. "I always knew it!"

Serenity could not help but smile. Having admitted her true desire for the first time, to another person, aloud, she felt as if a heavy burden had been lifted from her shoulders. Suddenly she could breathe again, and the very air around her felt light and fresh. She returned the little Kaiba's hug wholeheartedly.

Mokuba looked up at her then with a sly twinkle in his eye. "You should go talk to Seto," he suggested.

"Really?" Serenity questioned. "But you said he was asleep."

"He is," Mokuba confirmed, "but he's been asleep for over twelve hours now. Don't you think it's about time he got up?"

"My goodness," Serenity muttered, taken aback by the statement. "It's late in the afternoon, and he hasn't been up at all today? I assumed that he was just napping."

"You know how hard he's been working lately," Mokuba reminded her. "This is the first time in a while that he's slept for more than a couple of hours. He needs it, so I haven't bothered to wake him up. But now... This is really important. Plus, twelve hours of sleep at one time is too many anyway."

She nodded in agreement.

"Follow me," Mokuba commanded. He led her up a flight of fancy stairs, then down a long hallway, where he stopped at a closed door. "This is his bedroom," he whispered.

Serenity placed her hand on the doorknob, and her heart began to flutter. What to expect? What to say? She swallowed hard, then glanced back at Mokuba for reassurance.

The boy winked at her and gave her a thumbs up.

She twisted the doorknob then and quietly pushed the door open. Her heart pounded as she took silent footsteps into the room.

There he was: asleep, on a large, plush bed. Something was different about him as he lay there—not so businesslike, with his brown hair tossed about in every direction and his mouth slightly agape. He had kicked the covers mostly off, revealing a pair of simple, black pajama pants beneath a bare chest that rose and fell with deep, restful breaths. As Serenity neared him, she even noticed a bit of stubble on his handsome face. Seto was all together different in this light—incredibly human.

The girl blushed at the sight, but Seto's overall appearance was a comfort to her. Gone were the gaudy coat, buckles, and straps, in exchange for a look that was simple and natural. Serenity no longer felt anxious about what was to come. In fact, she smiled down at Seto. Was this the boy who supposedly loved her? This sleepy, unkempt thing?

Snickering to herself, she shook him lightly.

The drowsy voice mumbled in reply, "Hrm? What is it?"

"Hello, Seto," Serenity spoke in a tender tone.

"Not now, Mokuba. I'm tired." He rolled over on his other side.

Serenity looked over to Mokuba, who stood in the doorway. The boy covered his mouth in an attempt to fight off laughter. She grinned back at him in equal amusement. Then, giggling quietly, Serenity shook Seto again, this time slightly harder than before.

The teen groaned, "Leave me alone."

"Come on, sleepy head, I've wanted to see you for so long." Serenity reached a hand forward and ran her fingers fondly through Seto's tousled hair.

The soft, affectionate gesture was unfamiliar to him, so he rolled over again and groggily lifted his eyes open. Met with a pair of shimmering, hazel orbs, he inquired, "Serenity?"

She smiled politely and answered, "Yes."

"What are you doing here?" Kaiba sourly wondered, sitting up.

"I just want to talk to you," Serenity answered sweetly and earnestly. "I've been trying to reach you for days."

"I've been busy," Kaiba murmured.

She smiled back at him in understanding. "I know."

Kaiba closed his eyes then and let out a long, slumberous yawn, taking a moment to stretch out his arms and pop his neck.

Serenity, meanwhile, developed reddish cheeks as she watched the movements of his finely-toned body.

Opening his eyes again, Kaiba looked at the girl and noticed her flushed face. He seemed somewhat confused at first, but then his icy eyes roused with a sudden awareness of his appearance. "I'm sorry," he mumbled, combing his messy hair with his fingers. "Had I known you were coming-"

"It's okay," she shyly insisted.

The teen brought a hand to his face, briefly feeling the stubble on his cheeks and chin. "Give me an hour," he stated simply.

"And we'll finally talk then?" Serenity optimistically guessed.

"Yes," Kaiba answered. Then, with a smirk, he added, "Go downstairs and wait for me on the couch. Make yourself comfortable. I know you're no stranger to that."

His eyes were sly—almost playful—as he spoke the words. Recognizing the reference, she chuckled to herself. "Okay, Seto," she smiled. "See you soon." With that, she left the room.

Just as Mokuba was about to follow Serenity, Kaiba raised his voice in protest. "You," he coldly addressed his younger brother. "Stay here. I want to have a word with you."

Mokuba responded timidly, "Yes, big brother."

"Close the door," Kaiba ordered.

Mokuba did as he was told, then sat on the bed next to his brother.

"Now," Kaiba began in a businesslike manner, "we both know what you're up to. There's no use trying to hide it. First it was those love letters. Then it was your slumber party. And now _this._ You've played too many tricks."

"This isn't a trick," Mokuba objected. "Serenity really wants to talk to you."

"I'll talk to her," Kaiba verified, "but that chat isn't going to help anything. Your little game is over."

The boy inquired worriedly, "What do you mean, Seto? What are you going to tell her?"

"Mokuba, you and I have a lot to do. You know that. In nine days, things are going to change and work is going to pile up for us. I won't have time-"

"That's just an excuse!" Mokuba vehemently interrupted. "It doesn't have to mean anything! What's the real reason, big brother?"

To the youngster's surprise, Kaiba was visibly rattled by the words. He looked away and muttered quietly, "You wouldn't understand."

Mokuba sympathetically placed a hand on Seto's shoulder. "I can try."

"You're so young," Kaiba spoke softly, turning back to his little brother. "You can't possibly comprehend… what it meant…"

Seto's vivid, blue eyes shone with immense pain—a look that Mokuba had never seen before. Concerned, the boy assured his brother, "Maybe not, but you can still talk to me about it, Seto."

Suddenly, the pain turned to fury as Kaiba gritted his teeth and growled, "You can't possibly comprehend what it meant for her to be violated that way! For her—so young and naive—to be pinned to a bed by force, to be touched and kissed against her will, to have her clothes torn off of her… She'll never forget it. Never! She'll always remember: her first time seeing a man was under _those_ circumstances! Rodger… He destroyed a part of her that day."

Mokuba intently watched his brother's face. Tears were welled up in the blue eyes now, though Seto stubbornly held them back.

"As if that weren't enough," he angrily continued, "those three men beat her and stabbed her too! Her back was covered in cuts and welts, and her arms… She nearly bled to death from those knife wounds! Do you think a person can just bounce back from experiences like that? Realistically, the poor girl must be traumatized. It could take years for her to come to terms with it… and… it's all my fault…"

Unsure of what to say, the younger brother remained quiet.

"That's why I worked so hard after the trial—not just to make up for lost time and money, but to finish this project so that I would have something to do, some way to get out of her life… I wanted things to go back to the way they were before I caused so much damage."

Mokuba scooted closer to Seto and wrapped his arms tightly around him. "Don't blame yourself for the past, big brother," he comforted. "Those things weren't your fault. But it _will _be your fault if you break her heart right now. How can you even consider that, if you're so worried about hurting her? You can be the one thing in her life that makes sense right now."

"Although you're right," Kaiba acknowledged, "that's a terrible reason to date someone. If I date her, I want it to be real. I want it to be because I…" His voice trailed off.

"Love her?" Mokuba finished.

Choosing to ignore the comment, Kaiba gave the kid a quick squeeze and then stood up. "Go downstairs and keep Serenity company while I shave and get ready," he said flatly. "And make some coffee, will you? I'm going to need it."

Mokuba smiled and started toward the door.

"Oh, and one more thing, Mokuba," Kaiba called after him.

Mokuba looked over his shoulder at Seto. "Hmm?"

The voice came softly, and full of earnest emotion: "Thank you."

* * *

. . .

_Thanks so much for reading! I'm really happy to be writing Forbidden Love again. For whatever reason, I've developed a sudden burst of motivation to work on it. That's good for you, eh?_

_Also, I went back and read some of the earlier chapters of this story, and I couldn't help but feel that my writing style has changed since then. I therefore went back and made several changes..._

_UPDATES:_

_General- In the narrator's dialogue, Bakura is now often referred to by his first name, Ryou.  
_

_Chapters 2 and 3- Reposted with new chapter names and changes in dialogue._

_Chapter 4- Reposted with a new chapter name, expansions of the restaurant scene, and changes in dialogue and detail._

_Chapter 5- Reposted with a new chapter name and changes in dialogue._

_Chapters 7, 8, and 9- Restructured so that there are no longer any "FLASHBACK" scenes. Also, added more details to Ryou's bloody scene in Chapter 7._

_Chapter 11- Reposted with a new chapter name._

_Chapter 13- Added a new little scene with Ryou._

_Oh, and, of course, I still have a few NEW chapters to write too! The Original Version (recall that Forbidden Love is a rewrite of an old, same-titled fic) had twenty chapters, but I'm thinking that this story may end up with twenty-one or twenty-two... __I'm not sure yet._ _We'll see what happens._

_Post a review before you go, and stay tuned for last chapter(s) of Forbidden Love!_

_~Anncatz_


	20. Chapter 20: Implausibilities

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.

**Chapter 20: Implausibilities**

Serenity Wheeler sat quietly and patiently on the couch, and, before long, little footsteps bumped merrily down the stairs. She raised her eyes and watched as Mokuba Kaiba neared her with a smile. He seemed happy enough; the private conversation with Seto must have gone well. Serenity therefore smiled back at him.

"Hey," he greeted, "would you like some coffee?"

"Oh, yes, that sounds very nice," she politely accepted.

Mokuba walked over to the kitchen counter. Serenity followed him there, and she watched as he brewed the coffee.

"Nothing special, huh?" she casually remarked as she looked at the particular brand and flavor.

"No. Seto says that he doesn't like flavored coffee," Mokuba answered. "He likes his drink very bitter. He generally doesn't even add much cream or sugar, although..." Suddenly, his eyes lit up.

Serenity curiously watched him as he walked over to the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of cream.

"I bought this at the store the other day," the boy proudly declared as he handed it to her. "It's pumpkin spice-flavored cream."

"How very seasonally appropriate," she cheerily noted.

With sly eyes, Mokuba gossiped, "Seto will deny it if you ask him, but he likes it."

Serenity giggled at the comment.

"Now," Mokuba continued with the coffeepot in hand, "how do you like yours?"

"I always put a lot of cream and sugar in mine," Serenity admitted. "I like it sweet. Do you mind if I try the special cream?"

"No, go ahead," Mokuba permitted. With that, he poured the coffee into a mug and allowed Serenity to fix it as she pleased.

The girl brought the mug to her lips and sipped at the sweet liquid. She could taste the hint of pumpkin there. "It's divine," she said in wonderment.

Mokuba merely grinned back at her. The two of them then sat on couch and chatted happily, laughing and enjoying the moment.

Meanwhile, upstairs, Seto Kaiba looked at his reflection in the mirror. He had showered, shaved, and dressed, and, any minute now, he would have to face the reality that awaited him. The talk with Mokuba had left him unsure as to what to say or do, and, for the first time, the businessman did not have a carefully calculated plan.

He shut his eyes and inhaled deeply. It was time to go.

Kaiba silently walked down the stairs, undetected as Serenity and Mokuba continued their cheerful chatter, and he stopped by the kitchen counter to get his coffee. As he poured it into a mug, he let out a yawn.

Hearing this noise, Mokuba nudged Serenity. They stopped talking and turned their attention to Seto as he fixed his coffee. They snickered as he reached for the pumpkin spice cream and added a small drop of it to his drink.

The CEO sipped the coffee and found that it suited his tastes. He then approached the couch and sternly addressed his brother: "Mokuba, will you give us some privacy, please?"

"Sure thing, Seto," Mokuba agreed, and he quickly scurried up the stairs.

Kaiba joined Serenity on the couch, saying, "I apologize for making you wait." The words came out as a half-yawn.

"It's okay," Serenity insisted. "I know that you've been working overtime."

He nodded and took a sip of coffee.

Something about him was very human as he sat there. Even though he had cleaned up a bit since Serenity last saw him, he had not bothered to put on the flashy coat and straps; he simply wore a black turtleneck and black dress pants. His face was tired and still slightly pale, regardless of the long nap. There, with his eyes turned down to the dark pool in the mug, he seemed somehow vulnerable.

"So, what is it that you've wanted to say so badly?" he bluntly inquired.

"I came here to make things right," she clarified.

Kaiba swallowed another bitter swig of coffee, then set the beverage down and turned to her.

"I'm sorry that I didn't trust you," she began. "I never should've believed my brother and those news reports. Deep down, I always knew that you were a good person."

"Yes, you mentioned that after the trial, when we were in the limousine," Kaiba rationally pointed out.

"I know, but there's more," Serenity continued. "Most of all, I'm sorry for the way that I treated you when you came to visit me in the hospital," she admitted, her voice full of regret. "I'm sorry that I yelled and threw those flowers at you. I'm sorry that I sent you away. You didn't deserve that. I'm so sorry, Seto."

Kaiba cast his eyes upon Serenity's face as she gazed up at him with a genuine, heartfelt expression. The girl was so fragile and innocent that it was cute, in a way, and even slightly amusing. He chuckled softly to himself.

"What is it?" she questioned, confused by his response.

"It's just..." His voice trailed off and he shook his head. Turning his eyes away, he murmured, "I'm the one who should apologize."

"Why?"

With his typical, businesslike approach, Kaiba reasoned, "If it weren't for my actions, you wouldn't have experienced any of those horrors. It was my lack of focus—my irresponsibility—that drove Ryuu, Takeshi, and Rodger to hurt you. Had I simply done my work at Kaiba Corporation, none of those things would've happened to you. It was my fault."

"Please don't say that," Serenity begged. Then, remembering a time when Ryou Bakura had made a similar claim, she added, "It wasn't anyone's fault."

Kaiba let out a cynical grunt, "You're too kind." With an abruptly angry tone, he went on, "All I've ever done is hurt you. Between my own insults, the consequences of my distraction at work, and the involvement of the media, you've experienced nothing but pain and confusion. That's why..."

Serenity anxiously eyed the billionaire as his body became tense and rigid. Concerned for him, she reached out a hand and placed it on his shoulder.

He glanced down at the dainty hand. "I'm leaving," he dismally concluded.

"What?" she gasped, drawing her hand back in shock. "Where are you going?"

Kaiba paused, reaching for the coffee mug. After taking a sip, he wondered, "Do you remember the day when we ate at the restaurant and talked about Kaiba Corporation?"

"Yes," Serenity answered, though she was puzzled by the question.

"Back then, I mentioned a big project, but I didn't elaborate on it," Kaiba explained. "I technically shouldn't reveal anything now either, but I believe that it's pertinent to the current circumstances."

Serenity took a drink of her own sweet coffee as she quietly waited for further details.

"After I heard you speak at the trial, I realized two things," Kaiba continued. "One was that I needed to work overtime to help my company recover from its financial losses. The other was that you would be safer if I were gone."

"But Seto—"

The CEO quickly interrupted her: "So I sped up production. I and my employees designed two new Kaiba Land theme parks and selected prime locations in Germany and China. For the next phase of the project, I intend to travel back and forth to oversee the parks' construction."

"I'm happy that you're moving forward with your work," Serenity congratulated him, "but I still don't understand—"

Kaiba slammed the coffee mug down and growled, "I'm a danger to you, Serenity. Don't you see that?" He then leaned forward, his angry face looming only inches from hers, and he threatened, "I have enemies who won't hesitate to go after those who are close to me; they will use you and hurt you, just like Ryuu, Takeshi, and Rodger did. In addition to that, the paparazzi are always interested in my relationships; they will find you, ask questions, take pictures, and then write lies about you the next day. I don't want you to get mixed up in that."

He suddenly looked off to the side, and the anger lifted from him. "I'm leaving because I want to protect you, Serenity," he confessed with a sigh, "and I'm protecting you because I..."

What was he trying to say, exactly? He had felt the drive to protect Serenity for a while now, but was there more to it than that? Could it really be...? His icy eyes widened with a feeling of disbelief.

He felt Serenity's hand on his cheek then, and she gently turned his face toward her. Her hazel eyes glimmered with a deep sense of understanding, seeking to comfort him and dispel his fear. Without words, she assured him that she already knew what he was about to say, and that he need not be afraid to say it.

His voice rang softly, "I love you."

Serenity smiled sweetly at him. "I love you too, Seto."

He stared back at her in awe, as if he could not believe what had just happened, as if the moment were not real. "You do?" he muttered quietly.

"Of course," she insisted.

"Despite everything?"

"You're looking at it the wrong way, Seto," Serenity teasingly scolded. "I feel _safe_ when I think about you. I'll never forget how you held me during the storm, how you rescued me from those men, or how you pulled me through the crowd after the trial." She lifted her hand and ran it through his hair. "I'm not afraid of what it means to be close to you, Seto."

His heart pumped with feelings excitement, shock, and confusion. He had not expected the conversation to pan out this way—not at all. That he, the powerful billionaire, Seto Kaiba, could confess his love was inconceivable. That Serenity loved him in return was even more illogical. In frozen silence, he processed these implausibilities.

Serenity laughed quietly to herself. Kaiba's defenses were completely down now, revealing a side of him that he had never shown before. To see visible traces of fear and confusion on his face was cute, in a way, and even slightly amusing, but, most importantly, it helped to ascertain that he was more than the emotionless businessman that the world perceived him to be.

Seeing him like that, she could not help but lean forward to press her lips gently against his. Her kiss was slow and affectionate, assuring Seto that his feelings were normal and acceptable.

He melted warmly into the kiss, finally able to enjoy it for what it was.

Love was not easy or predictable. It was not something that could be studied or planned, nor was it something that could be stopped. Love was something that simply happened—something indescribably wonderful.

When they broke apart, Seto wrapped his arms around Serenity and whispered, this time with more confidence, "I love you."

The girl laid her head on his chest and repeated, "I love you too."

The two of them were silent for some time as Seto gently petted her hair. Still, Serenity was aware of the reality that faced them. She quietly wondered, "When will you leave, Seto?"

"Nine days from now," Kaiba replied.

"And how long will you be gone?"

He did not immediately answer the question. After a lingering pause, he avoidantly mumbled, "Months."

Serenity looked up at him and frowned. "How many months?"

"Two months, minimum," Kaiba said. "Realistically, though, the project should take much longer than that. Six months... Maybe a year... It will depend on how well the work goes."

Serenity inquired hopefully, "Will you come home for a visit sometime?"

"I'll try," Kaiba cooed, gingerly moving a strand of auburn hair behind her ear, "for you." He then kissed her lightly on the forehead and added, "Until then, we have nine days. Let's make the most of them."

They kissed again. Soft. Sweet.

In the meantime, the younger Kaiba brother stood at the top of the staircase and observed the tender scene. He had always known that Seto would love that girl. Now his big brother could be happy, and the thought of that made him happy, too.


	21. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

"_Meet me in front of the school, at 4:00," he instructed._

He meant A.M.

"_There's one last thing I want to do before I go."_

Those were the only details that he gave her.

Serenity Wheeler felt a rush of adrenaline as she slipped out of her apartment that early morning. Sneaking out at such an hour was quite possibly the most adventurous thing that she had ever done. Moreover, she did not even know what she was getting herself into. Seto Kaiba's request was utterly bizarre, given that the nine days had passed and he was supposed to depart that morning. What on earth was he planning?

When Serenity reached the school, she saw him standing there, under one of the lampposts. He was looking impatiently as his watch.

"Seto," she whispered his name.

Kaiba looked up with a stern face. "You're seven minutes late."

"Come on, ease up a bit," the girl said lightheartedly. "I made it here safely, didn't I?"

"Yes, but I was starting to worry about you."

Serenity giggled, "You worry too much."

His face was ever-serious. "I worry because I love you."

Serenity responded by giving him a brief hug and a light peck on the lips. Then, pulling away with a clever grin, she said, "So, what is this? You're supposed to leave later today, but instead of getting a good night's sleep, you insist that we meet here at 4:00 A.M.? I don't get it."

The teen took a flashlight from his pocket. "Behind the school, there's a path," he began simply, clicking on the beam of light.

"Oh, yes, I've seen it," Serenity recalled. "I've always been curious as to where it leads, but I've never explored it. It's kind of suspicious-looking."

"It's actually a very simple trail," Kaiba assured her. "It leads through a small forest and ends at an empty field. That's where we're going."

She watched him there, standing in the lamplight with an arrogant smirk playing at his lips. He was so sure of himself; she felt no need to question him.

"Come on," he ordered, reaching forward to take her hand.

The confident businessman led the way, and the trees around them thickened as Seto and Serenity followed the path into the forest. It was incredibly dark there, save for the small beam from Seto's flashlight, and it was exceedingly quiet. Serenity's dainty hand began to tremble in fright, but Seto tightened his grip protectively and possessively.

The firm grasp quelled Serenity's fears, and she smiled to herself, knowing that, once again, Seto was looking after her. He led her bravely through the forest, and with the trees soon behind them, they stepped onto an open field.

There was nothing notable about the area itself, but the black sky above them was perfectly clear, revealing stars that twinkled with heavenly light. Serenity's mouth hung open in awe as she gazed upward. "This is a wonderful spot for stargazing," she marveled. "Is that why we're here?"

"We're here for a couple of reasons," Seto stated matter-of-factly. "The first is that I intend to take off from here." He shined the flashlight on a large, dark mass in the distance. "That's my helicopter over there. By taking off from this field, I should be able to leave with privacy. I refuse to let the media make a big deal out of my departure, because I want to spend my last moments with you."

Butterflies danced in her stomach after she heard those words. Love struck, she leaned against him and laid her head on his chest.

"Of course, there _is_ a reason that I brought you here 4:00 A.M., instead of some other time," he continued calmly. "Someone once told me that watching the sun rise is equivalent to witnessing the creation of an artistic masterpiece. That's something that I want to experience before I go, but I may need your help to see it."

The butterflies flitted even more excitedly then. Much to Serenity's surprise, her words had not fallen on deaf ears. The cold CEO who had once claimed that the stars were "just stars" was finally ready to look at the world in a different way. He wanted to watch the sunrise with her and see its beauty for the first time. How romantic...

She sighed dreamily, "I love you, Seto."

Kaiba chuckled softly. The girl could be so childish sometimes, but it was a part of what made her so innocently sweet, and he would not have her any other way. "I love you too."

Serenity turned around to face him, then stood on her tip toes and threw her arms about his neck. She kissed him tenderly—a gesture that he welcomed and returned.

After they broke apart, Kaiba reasoned, "We're going to be here for a while, so we might as well make ourselves comfortable."

Serenity nodded and seated herself on the grass.

Kaiba sat beside her. Then, feeling a cool breeze brush by, he removed his coat and laid it about her shoulders. "You really should have worn a sweater," he criticized.

Serenity pulled the coat tightly around her and smiled. Despite the sharp words, she understood that Seto was simply showing that he loved her. "Seto," she spoke softly.

"Hmm?"

With a hint of bashfulness, she wondered, "When did you know that you loved me?"

Kaiba brought a hand to his face and contemplated the matter for a moment. At last he answered, "I recognized that I had feelings for you after I rescued you from Ryuu, Takeshi, and Rodger, but I can't truly say that that was when I knew that I loved you, because things quickly went downhill after that. Given the circumstances, I renounced my feelings and defined them as unreal, spurred on by immaturity, and in no way serious. I became convinced that the person who cared for you was not _me_. It was a constant struggle... I honestly don't think I knew that I loved you until the moment that I said it to you."

Serenity happily remarked, "I'm so glad that you were finally able to overcome your struggle."

"What about you?" Kaiba returned. "When did you know?"

She looked up at the shining stars. "Let's see... hmm... I think it may have been the day that I spoke at the trial. I looked out at your eyes and your face, and I felt brave, watching you. You were the one who gave me the strength to tell my story, and I realized for the first time just how safe I feel when you're around."

Kaiba let out a discomforted grunt.

"What is it, Seto?" Serenity asked.

"I planned to leave in order to protect you from myself, my enemies, and the media, yet you say that you feel safe in my presence," he sullenly replied. "It's ironic, really."

"If you don't want to go, then—"

Kaiba strongly interrupted, "No, I _want_ to go. It's my dream."

Serenity looked to him in interest. Seto had become suddenly passionate and personal—characteristics that seemed new and foreign to her, given his normal demeanor.

"Kaiba Corporation hasn't always been the way that it is today," the billionaire explained. "It was a shameful company, and I didn't agree with its area of business. I went through hell to change it, because I wanted to shape it into something better. I wanted to use it for something that I believed in. What I always wanted to do, more than anything..." His voice trailed off as his eyes glazed over, staring into the incalculable distance.

Serenity placed a hand on his knee and patted it affectionately so as to encourage him to continue.

"Kaiba Land is a place for orphans and underprivileged children," he clarified. "It's not about money, or publicity, or having the most innovative, exciting rides. It's about kids like me and Mokuba—kids whose parents have died or abandoned them, and who don't have anyone or anywhere else to turn to. My dream is to provide them with a place where they can escape their troubles, if even for just a day. I'm going to build Kaiba Lands all over the world... for the children..."

Serenity stared at him in awe. "Seto, I had no idea."

Kaiba sighed deeply, as if he had just removed a great burden from his chest. He then looked to the girl beside him and faintly smiled at her. As she smiled back, he leaned in and pressed his lips against hers with more passion than he had ever before expressed. He kissed her repeatedly, in fact, and with each kiss, he leaned in farther, such that Serenity fell slowly backward and he lay on top of her.

The teens breathed heavily amidst such kisses, and the fiery moment lingered for some time. Eventually, though, Seto pulled away and glanced at the sky. The stars had faded into hazy gray, with dim streaks of red shining through.

"I guess it's time for the show," he grinned, rolling over and sitting up. He then pulled Serenity close to him, cuddling with her as he watched the sun rise. When the golden sphere was fully visible and the sky was lit with pink, orange, and pale blue hues, he turned to her with a look of fresh enthusiasm.

"You were right," he confirmed. "It is beautiful."

Something was different about him as he looked back at her. Those eyes... The once dull and empty sapphires suddenly glowed with sparkling intensity, like the gems that they were meant to be. The sight of the polished jewels caused Serenity's feelings to swell with pride. Was this really the same boy who had been so bitter before?

Serenity placed a loving kiss on his lips, so proud that he could finally see the beauty of the world.

...And then a voice intruded on the moment: "Hey, big brother!"

Kaiba turned toward the sound. He should have known: it was just like Mokuba to show up a bit early in order to catch a mischievous glimpse of the goings-on. He shook his head and called back, "Hey, Mokuba."

The little brother jogged out to the field, tugging a large suitcase behind him. "Did you have fun watching the sunrise?"

"Yes, I've never seen anything quite like it," Kaiba responded as he stood. He then took Serenity's hand and helped her to her feet.

Mokuba grinned. He, too, could see a new glint in Seto's eyes. Turning to Serenity, he gave a covert wink to acknowledge that a great feat had been accomplished.

"Go on to the helicopter, Mokuba," Kaiba ordered. "Serenity and I aren't quite finished."

Mokuba nodded in understanding and ran off toward the helicopter.

"Listen, Serenity," Kaiba spoke with a low, sad-sounding voice, "there's another reason why I brought you here."

Serenity cocked her head in confusion as Seto's face became very serious again.

"I wanted you to show you this place—where it is and how to get here—because, when I come home, this is where I'll land. I want you to be here when I arrive. I want you to be the first person that I see. I want you to wait for me."

Her eyes filled with tears as the wave of reality washed over her.

Kaiba wrapped his arms around her in a hug. "I'll try to come home for a visit some weekend," he whispered, "but, to be honest, I don't know when that will be. This project is going to be very demanding. I'm not sure if I'll have much time to communicate with you at all. I'm sorry, Serenity. Please just be patient for me."

"I'll wait for you, Seto," Serenity blubbered as the tears poured down her cheeks. "I promise. I'll wait right here."

He chuckled again at her childlike response, but he truly was grateful for her strong devotion. "Thank you," he murmured, squeezing her tightly.

"I'll miss you..."

"I'll miss you too." He kissed her softly, tasting the salty tears on her lips, and then he pulled away. "Goodbye, Serenity," he said reluctantly.

"Goodbye, Seto..."

"I love you," he repeated one last time.

Serenity could no longer find the strength to speak. The tears were raining down so hard that her voice could not produce sound, but she did manage to silently mouth "I love you" in return. She then waved goodbye and watched as Seto walked away and boarded the helicopter. With a loud noise, the machine climbed gradually into the air and flew slowly off into the pale sky, taking with it a love that had already been forbidden in so many ways...

But she would wait.

* * *

_. . ._

_. . ._

_Thanks to all of you who have taken the time to read Forbidden Love. I don't think that I ever would've finished the story without the handful of devoted readers who supported me-truly, you played a large role in my motivation to continue working. Please take some time now to review Chapter 20 and the epilogue, as well as the story as a whole. Also, as the author, I am curious to know which quotes, scenes, or overall chapters were your favorites, so feel free to mention those as well._

_Until next time,_

_~Anncatz  
_


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